Go to hell!

“Go to hell!” We think of this as a curse and an insult, yet this is just what Jesus would have us do. Hell is where there are no advantages. Better yet, hell is where the few who have advantages, pay no attention to the many who have none.

An outcast woman comes to a well at noon, The more respectable women come to the well in the early morning. Smiling, they gossip about their neighbors and brag about their husbands while washing clothes and filling their water jugs. This woman can’t go at that time. She would be in danger. She was, by law, “unclean” and therefore unaccepted. “Hey stupid, this is private well for clean people. Get your water somewhere else!” Others like her have stopped coming. Perhaps they have come to believe that they really are lesser persons. This is their living hell.

Jesus would have us go to hell—to a place like this well at noon, when only the outcast who still has a little pluck is likely to show up. He is amazed to find this woman there—a person who challenges him with her questions and impresses him by her spirit.

A number of things strike me about her.

First is her boldness and courage. All people need a way forward. We all need to have choices. The more choices we have, the less fear we have. The woman was fearless because she still had choices. Trapped = afraid, but with options, there is always new hope. She was not born in the right social network. She did not have much luck with husbands. Does that mean she is doomed? If you are not born with Varsity level talent, does that mean you can’t play? In a world where the bullies make the rules, the answer is yes. But I have never met a successful leader who says, “I love to put people down so that I can be up. I am proud of being a bully.”

Second, she came with a purpose—to get water. Water is important for survival. Lord knows that these past few weeks have shown us the importance of clean water and the dangers of contaminated water. But the quality of water is the important thing about this story. Jesus adds pressure to the theme when he says, “Whoever drinks this water will never thirst.” This water is the water that fills a person with meaning and purpose. Every person deserves to know that they are created for a purpose: the right to discover things, to enjoy friends, and to be included.

Third, she had a sense of belonging to something larger than herself. This woman clearly sees herself as an outcast. She comes at midday because she would be unaccepted by her peers who come in the morning. She is like the girl who dresses in the locker room only after the Varsity girls have left. “We’re varsity. You are not. Get lost.” When they have gone, and all is quiet, she walks in. Someone is sitting there. Who is it? None other than the head coach. Something about the coach’s eyes and smile are inviting. On any other day, the young player would have fled, but today for some reason she enters the locker room. The coach beckons her to sit, and begins to talk to her, starts telling her things that the coach has noticed, little things like how hard she tries, how naturally she moves, how great her ball handling, how intently she reads the defense. She had no idea the coach even knew her name. In one instant, her self-image has changed. She is a player.

She was open to the idea of forgiveness. It is easier to find fault than to forgive. Any TV quarterback, couch critic, disgruntled player or coach will tell you ten things that would have one the game after the loss. How we love our witch-hunts. The people loved Moses when he led them out of Pharaoh’s oppressive place, but as soon as the game got tough, they were afraid, and out of fear they were quick to complain. Some of us like to wallow in our misery. Jesus looks this woman in the eyes and says, “Love yourself. To do this, you must live according to your spirit and to the truth.” Jesus knows the truth: God loves the world and everything in it equally. Jesus knows the Spirit. He is the Spirit.

Finally, she was an optimist. We do not have the rest of the woman’s story, but I have a sense that she went away feeling much better about herself because she believed in herself. Who among us would choose to live a gloomy, second-class life if we didn’t have to? Moreover, it would be a waste of God’s Spirit in us if we did not choose to be filled with life-giving water. If you are full of that water, i.e. full of love, then there is no room for arrogance, bitterness or fear.

So go to hell today, but remember to bring life-giving water. Be yourself as God intends you to be—fearless and optimistic, full of purpose and forgiveness, blessed as one who belongs in this world and seeks to bring others in.

Where did Jesus go after he was crucified? Living through hell and disgrace on Good Friday, he died and went to Hell. He went there to set us free from eternal damnation, despair, confusion pain and defeat. We have that same choice every day: To avoid others trapped in their living hell, or to offer them life-giving water—a kind word, a friendly word, a compassionate ear.

Go to hell today. Bring life-giving water. Visit often.

Family Help, Inc.

Hello Again.

Just want you to know that Family Help, Inc has had its first graduates. A family has moved from our transitional housing facility into its own dwelling. Mom has a job. She and her children are starting again. With God's help, they will make it on their own.

Family Help, Inc. offers transitional housing for families in crisis—families with little kids, but no homes, no jobs, and, in some cases, not enough education or skill to navigate a way forward.

It is working, but we need help. Your money, your ideas, your prayers—all are welcome. Thank you, in advance for what you give.

During the season of Lent, people often ask, "What can I give up—candy? soda? coffee?" Why not try another option? Ask: "What can I take on as a Lenten discipline?" One answer is to pray every day for people less fortunate than you; then act upon your prayer by donating something: money, time, whatever you have. It all matters.

These are hard times, especially for homeless parents with small children. Together, we can provide hope for struggling families and point them in a positive direction—towards productive employment and a secure home for their children.

Your money and prayers will make a difference to us at Family Help, Inc. We are located at P.O. Box 302, Middletown, DE 19709.

For more information, you may call Harvey Zendt (302-376-6339), or Dave DeSalvo (302-824-6272).

Peace and Blessings during the Lenten Season.

Dave D.