That Awkward Moment When...

Thinking through the implications of John 4.27 this morning.  Christ is in a discussion with the Woman at the Well (she will end up believing that he is the Messiah along with many of her fellow townsfolk), when his disciples suddenly appear.  The scene that greets them is strange and awkward, which made me think of the Twitter hashtag #thatawkardmoment.

The moment is awkward for several reasons.  First, Christ is talking with a Samaritan.  Samaritans were half-breed syncretists.  They were half Jewish and half Assyrian, brought in and settled after Israel was carried off into captivity.  This woman was a descendant of that particular resettlization program.  The Jews hated the Samaritans because they were half-breeds and syncretists, mixing Jewish belief with anything else that worked for them.

Second, Christ is talking with a woman.  This was particularly awkward.  A private conversation with a woman just wasn't done in that society.  One kept aloof from them, except perhaps in crowds.  Women were second class citizens, poorly educated, and liable to be driven by their emotions.  They really weren't worth worrying about.

Third, this particular woman was so despised by the rest of her fellow townsfolks, that she had to come draw water at noon in the heat of the day to avoid the disapprobation of those who came for water at the normal time (early in the morning).  As it so happened she had been married five different times and was shacking up with her current man, so the disciples' misgivings were essentially correct.  This was a woman with a very bad reputation.  Very bad.  So bad, it looks bad in our day, and that is very bad indeed.

The disciples see all this and they want to say something.  One senses that they want to tell Christ, "Um, Master, do you realize to whom you are talking?  Are you sure you should be talking with her?"  It is a very awkward moment, but Christ simply goes about his business and doesn't explain to his disciples what he is doing, though he surely felt their own disapproval of what he was doing.

It's a huge lesson for us.  First of all, if Christ was after the worst of the worst, then we ought to be also.  Second, we need not worry about or even address the disapproval of believers when we are doing what Christ has called us to do.  Let's just go about our business and ignore them.  Perhaps they will eventually figure it out.