What is outside your comfort zone?
Has the Lord ever pressed on you to go to a place, or talk to a person, you would rather avoid?
Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)
This is a rather well-known verse, especially with regard to missions. I must admit, I used to just kinda skip over the first three places in my mind until I get to "the ends of the earth." Because, well, I don't see myself as going to Jerusalem, Judea or Samaria. I just took this as an ever-widening circle.
But then it hit me... Samaria. Jesus was calling his disciples to be a witness for him in Samaria.
Samaria as in "Jews do not associate with Samaritans" (see John 4.) In fact, it's noted that there was such hatred between Jews and Samaritans that many Jews would avoid even traveling through Samaria just to avoid contact with them.
The Lord often requires us to act outside of our comfort zone. Naturally we don't find that very comfortable! But, if we are to be obedient to Christ, we need to be open to go wherever he commands and speak to whomever he desires us to speak to. It's just that simple.
