“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.  But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.  Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.  Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.” (Acts 8:1b-5) 

     Up to this point in Acts, the church had never moved out of Jerusalem.  The church had been focused on Jerusalem, but they would go on from there, and because of their circumstances, the time was right for them to scatter to surrounding territories.

     God used Philip to go to Samaria.  Samaritans were outsiders, disliked, and looked down on.  No one would have wanted to be where Philip was, but Philip managed to show the Samaritans that they are loved by God.

     Whom do we consider to be “outsiders?” Can we get the message to them that God loves them, and we love them as well?  I think it’s quite possible.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we are thankful for your love for us, and help us not to be conceited, but to reach out to everybody, regardless of who they are or where they are from.  We know that the whole world needs a Savior.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.