Photo courtesy of Sunrise – Iytimg.com
A few weeks ago, my pastor delivered a sermon on John 4:4-30. This is the passage where Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well. During that time, the Samaritans were regarded by the Jews as ‘low life’. A Jew would never be seen talking to a Samaritan. Rather than traveling through Samaria, the Jews would take the long way around to get to their destination to avoid encountering any Samaritans. So, for Jesus to go through Samaria and have an encounter with a Samaritan was considered scandalous.
Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the well who had come to draw water. Jesus not only engaged the woman in conversation, but proceeded to tell her about her adulterous lifestyle. He explained that He could provide her ‘living water’ so she would never thirst again. During the course of the conversation, he revealed that He was the Messiah.
There are some important observations about this story that provide insight into Jesus’ character.
- Jesus knew everything about her sullied lifestyle, but continued to engage with her;
- Jesus didn’t care that she led a sinful life. He offered her the same love –‘living water’ that was being offered to the Jews and all that chose to follow Him;
- The Samaritan woman wasn’t offended by the things Jesus said about her. Instead, she remained open to what He had to offer her;
- In her excitement, she left her water jug at the well and left to tell the towns people about her encounter with Jesus;
We all have a story, and none of us have led a perfect life. Jesus knows every nook and cranny of our life, and in spite of that, He still loves us. He is not here to condemn us; only to forgive us. We need to be open to receive his forgiveness, love and blessings. Once you’re able to do this, you’ll no longer need that water jug. Jesus will provide for your every need.
What are you holding onto and what is stopping you from reaching out to Him?
