gospel need

In discussing Richard Phillips' book Jesus the Evangelist, Tim Challies quotes the following from James Montgomery Boice (I love it).

It is difficult to imagine a greater contrast between two persons than the contrast between the important and sophisticated Nicodemus, this ruler of the Jews, and the simple Samaritan woman. He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan. He was a Pharisee; she belonged to no religious party. He was a politician; she had no status whatever. He was a scholar; she was uneducated. He was highly moral; she was immoral. He had a name; she is nameless. He was a man; she was a woman. He came at night to protect his reputation; she, who had no reputation, came at noon. Nicodemus came seeking; the woman was sought by Jesus. 

A great contrast. Yet the point of the stories is that both the man and the woman needed the gospel and were welcome to it. If Nicodemus is an example of the truth that no one can rise so high as to be above salvation, the woman is an example of the truth that none can sink too low.

This is powerful to me. I watch in sadness as groups of professing Christians seem to either reject the disenfranchised yet embrace and support the well-to-do in spite of wrong-doing or conversely, demonstrate tremendous compassion toward those in need yet spew venom toward anyone of any means presuming it came about via some evil - or at least selfishness.

What Boice right notes is that we all have the same need. Without God, we are all fallen sinners and with Him, we are adopted heirs.