Prejudice ran deeply in the first century. Read Luke 9:51-55. As a Jewish Rabbi, there were rules that needed to be followed. For example, when Jews from Galilee traveled to Jerusalem, they would avoid Samaria by traveling around the territory, making the journey longer. Samaritans were half Jewish and half Assyrian. Jesus disregarded the protocol and traveled through Samaria several times, as recorded in Scripture. On one occasion, Jesus and his disciples were going through Samaria and were rejected by the people of an unnamed village. James and John, not wasting a good opportunity to display their prejudice, asked Jesus if they could call fire from heaven to destroy the village. From their point of view, the world would be a better place with fewer Samaritans. The gospel writer, Luke, records that Jesus rebuked the disciples for their suggestion. As followers of Jesus, we are tasked with following the teaching of Jesus and learning to become just like Jesus. This story helps us to recall that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, “You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” James and John, as followers of Jesus, may have been more like Jesus if they had prayed for the Samaritans instead of requesting their destruction. How about you? What is your reaction to people when they reject you? Do you wish them ill, or do you take them to God in prayer?

Lord, when our natural tendency is to wish ill of those who hurt us, let us remember Jesus teaching to pray for them instead. Keep my thoughts and actions aligned with Jesus. Amen.