Who Gets It First

Over the past week I have been impacted by the fact that the people who were considered outsiders were the ones who understood Jesus first. In the Gospel of Matthew you have the magi, who were most likely priests in a non-Jewish religion, who seek the Christ child to worship and give gifts to. Then in John 4 it is a Samaritan woman, an outcast among outcasts. The Samaritan women is contrasted by Nicodemus in John 3, who was a religious leader and didn't get it. All this is to say that we who are a part of the church, who think we get it, need to take great caution. In the midst of our perceived understanding, we might completely miss true understanding. In our religious fervor and certainty, we might not see God right in front of us. God works in all places and with all people, however, I think God takes special pleasure in using people who others have considered out of the loop to draw everyone back to focus.