In John 4, Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman. At some point, she finds out that He’s got divine knowledge. For this woman, her burning question she has to ask is “who’s worshiping the right way?” The Jews and Samaritans have these generational fights, and one of the largest issues is “Who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to worshiping God?”
The Jews worship at the temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim. Who’s right? Am I doing it right? Which, honestly, are great questions to ask.
We might read this and think that she’s just trying to “be right,” but I believe at least part of her question is an honest desire to please God. And the answer that Jesus responds with is this: “True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
We see this idea in the Old Testament when the God tells the prophet Samuel, “Man looks at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” God’s looking for genuine worship that’s motivated from a love for Him. That’s the greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all our whole self.
There are so many details and disagreements that could distract our attention and keep us from offering our worship to Him. Should we worship at the temple, mountain, church building, or prayer closet? Should our music be loud or quiet? Should the lights be bright or dim? Should we use drums, guitars, and projected lyrics? Or organs, choirs, and hymnals? Should our services be 60 minutes or 3 hours? Should we use incense or flags? Should our songs be 1, 10 or 100 years old?
This posture of criticism is present all over scripture. King David dances extravagantly before the Lord and gets criticized. His response: “I’ll become even more undignified than this.”
There’s the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with her hair, her tears, and a fragrance. Onlookers criticized, saying there was a ”better way.” Jesus’s response? He basically says, “This is love, don’t you recognise it?”
And as Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, people are waving palm branches, laying down their coats and shouting “Hosanna…” and they are criticized. Jesus’ response? “If they don’t do it, the rocks will start shouting.”
When we see people worshiping the Lord in a way that doesn’t meet our standards, we can either use it as our reason for not joining in…or we can do all we can to give our true and proper worship.
Join in. Give your praise that’s motivated by your love for the Lord. He’s looking at your heart. The right response is to have our eyes on Jesus, instead of on some other worshiper.