Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.

2016 was an amazing presidential election year. Donald Trump, a non-polished politician, took the Republican Party by storm, held large rallies and beat Hillary Clinton for the presidency. He was not everyone’s first choice, and there were many who predicted his failure, but he proved them all wrong. Once in office, outside of the poor surface level communications skills, he accomplished a lot of things people thought were not possible: an historic economic recovery, bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, a Middle East peace accord, tariffs on China which forced them to back down and work on a new trade deal, withdrawing our troops from wars in other countries across the world, forcing other countries to pay their share in NATO, calling The N. Korean president’s bluff, etc. Whether you like him (or his tactics) or you don’t, all have to admit he did accomplish quite a bit in his four years.

In the early days, the reactions of people to Trump were either fully onboard or against him.
Not comparing Trump to Jesus at all, but the reactions to Jesus reminded me of some people’s reaction to Trump in some odd ways. Jesus was also a polarizing figure (though in not the same ways). Some people got what Jesus was doing and embraced him wholeheartedly; others just hated the man and could not accept his ministry. Some were late followers like doubting Thomas, and many were confused as to his purpose. Take a look at how the Samaritan woman responds: she left her jar and went into town and spread the news about Jesus to all around. It sounds like she was a believer. Then the disciples came back and were at first surprised that he was talking to a Samaritan woman in public. Then focused on his food intake. They MISSED THE WHOLE REASON why the woman left her jar at the well. We find also that many believed because of this woman’s testimony and some did not. (Then later on, more believed as Jesus spoke.)

It is similar in life. The reactions to revolutionary truths vary in people. There are the 1) early adaptors, 2) the lagging believers, 3) those who never seem to quite understand, 4) and those who refuse to believe, though the evidence is so close to them it could hit them upside the head.

Jesus calls this out in addressing his disciples regarding his “food”, with an analogy: he gets fed as he does God’s spiritual work in the hearts of people. This is much more exciting and fulfilling than even eating food when super hungry. Then he says to them, “OPEN YOUR EYES and look at the fields!” It is almost as if he is saying, “Hello guys, can you not see what just happened and is happening now? God’s message of the gospel of salvation is being spread? We found a true believer! She is out harvesting souls for eternal life. You should join her!”

This is what I feel like is happening today. People are worried more about jobs, food, viruses, fairness, and national racial tensions than on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Friends, join me in opening your eyes and looking at the fields. They are ripe for the harvest of souls unto eternal life! So let’s get busy!