Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:13-15
I believe the woman at the well to be one of the earliest evangelists. Quite an unlikely pick you might think and here is why. She was a Samaritan, a group of people looked down upon by the Jews at the time. This is because Samaritans were the descendants of Israelites who had intermarried with foreigners, going against God’s command to His people. Also, she was a woman, which according to the societal norms of that day was considered less than. She had had many husbands, but not only that, the man she was currently living with was not even her husband! Then there was the fact that she went to the well at noon, an unusual time of day for that task because of the heat suggesting that she was trying to avoid bumping into other people, maybe because of her tainted history and past. She really had nothing going for her: by human standards that is. But when she encountered Jesus, all that did not matter. Jesus is bigger than our shortcomings and all the labels society tries to pin on us. When we see Jesus for who He truly is, our lives are never left the same after that. The Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus was transformative. It forever changed her life for the better.
Jesus acknowledged her past but saw her for the woman He created and predestined her to be. He invited her to partake of the living water, in spite of her baggage. Jesus basically said to her; come as you are. Not first go change and clean up your life then come but come now as you are and I will do the transformation. For Jesus alone has the power to change hearts and transform lives. The impact that one encounter she had with Jesus had such a powerful result that people looked beyond her past as she passionately shared with them the Gospel, the good news about the man who told her everything she had ever done. The Messiah. This was their testimony after they came:
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So, when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4: 39-42
If the woman at the well could share the gospel, despite of and in spite of the public’s perception and opinions about her life, so can I. They still listened to her because of her conviction and the power of Cod that follows those who share the Gospel. I pray that the next time you feel led to share the Good News with a neighbor, co-worker, family remember or stranger but feel self-conscious, unworthy or scared, you will remember the woman at the well. Let her courage and passion bring you the encouragement you need to take a step of faith and witness for your Savior.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
The woman at the well encountered truth when she encountered Jesus. We can only worship God the way He wants us to worship Him when we worship through the Son of God. That is why encountering Jeus is so important. Jesus Himself says this in John 14:6: Jesus saith to him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
Once you encounter Jesus, you find life. Eternal life. For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death. Proverbs 8:35-36
An encounter with Jesus is easier than you think. All you have to do is desire it unpretentiously with all your heart, then seek. For all who seek shall find. Seeking for Jesus means reading His Word the Bible and spending time with Him in prayer. It means seeking to do His will by allowing The Word of God to govern your life, taking it one day at a time. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13-14
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Read more of Rachel’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
