Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. John 4:28-30
The story of the Samaritan Woman – we don’t know her name, so I’ll just call her “Sam” – has so much subtext that a crash course in customs of the day is necessary to begin to grasp the significance of what is happening. First, Jews did not associate with Samaritans. The Samaritans were low-life half-breeds that lived in between the two Jewish regions of the time, Judea and Galilee. Second, men did not associate with women outside of their family. Third, the well was the beauty parlor/coffee shop/literal water cooler of biblical times where the women went to socialize and keep up with town gossip. Fourth, Israel is in the desert, so it’s hot as blazes at noon. Putting points three and four together, we assume that Sam is not interested in being part of the hen gathering every morning (might she have been the topic of the gossip with her five husbands?) to such an extent as she will go to the well in the midday heat to be sure to avoid everyone else.
But, in this state of self-isolation is precisely where Jesus comes to meet Sam. Verse 4 says Jesus “had to go through Samaria”. This was not a matter of geography as Jews were quite adept at avoiding Samaria, but a matter of the will of God. This conversation was Jesus’ first time ministering to non-Jews, showing that God had come for all peoples. This is just where Jesus comes to meet us today. In the middle of our self-pity, self-righteousness, busyness, and imperfections. He doesn’t need us to get it together, get cleaned up, or wait until things change. He comes to us where we are, how we are, and starts his work there.
Sam and Jesus proceed to have a cryptic, somewhat one-sided, conversation about life and theology. The phrase “gift of God” in verse 10 was common at the time to refer to God providing salvation to man, and water was a common metaphor of God’s revelations to humanity. Sam is too focused on the physical water right in front of her to open her mind to the bigger picture that Jesus is talking about. She clearly understands that Jesus is implying he’s got some sort of power because she asks if he is greater than the patriarchs (verse 12), but is still thinking directly about the well (verse 11).
Finally, Jesus mentions a water that will eternally quench all thirst and even “become in them a spring” (verse 14). Jesus is alluding to the Holy Spirit to come, which will flow forth from every Christian to nourish others in the world.
The conversation then flows to a discussion about proper worship, and Jesus reveals he is the awaited Messiah. Sam has now found the True Source of Living Water. She immediately fulfills Jesus’ words about never thirsting again after drinking his water and becoming a spring herself by leaving her jar at the well and going back into town to tell everyone about Jesus. Sam, a non-Jewish woman, has just become the first missionary! She is a perfect example of “whomever has been forgiven much loves much” (Luke 7:47, paraphrased), loving your enemies (Matthew 5:44), and forgiving others when they sin against you (Matthew 6:14). She shares with such enthusiasm that many townspeople come out to see Jesus at the well and ultimately believe in him.
Sam is so enraptured with Jesus and the promise-fulfilled that he represents that she can’t help but share. Her testimony is apparently quite powerful as well since many people believed in Jesus because of it.
Evangelism is never something that has come naturally or easily for me, especially not evangelism that starts with recounting my failures. Ironically, though these imperfections are necessary to be able to share the gospel at all. Without shortcomings, I wouldn’t need a Savior. The gospel would be irrelevant to me, and I wouldn’t feel compelled to share it with anybody.
Take inspiration from Sam today and be
bold enough to share some of your failings in order to show that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for you, for [His] power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
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