the woman said to him, “i know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). when he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “i who speak to you am he.”
just then his disciples came back. they marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “what do you seek?” or, “why are you talking with her?” so the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. [john 4:25-30]
Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well would have been culturally scandalous, talking to a woman by himself much less a samaritan woman.
the jews and samaritans had a long history of hating each other. the samaritans seceded from the nation, and they worshiped outside of the temple. their bloodlines had been influenced and mixed with other pagan cultures. when he drank from the water it would not have been ceremonially clean according to mosaic law.
Jesus cared for her more than he cared what other people thought about him. in turn, she was so curious about Him. she believed that he was who he said that he was.
when you truly believe he is who he says he is you can’t help to tell others about how you have experienced him.
if you aren’t sharing, have you truly experienced him? have you allowed him to sit on the throne of your life?
if you notice, Jesus did not command her to go and to tell everyone she knew. instead she was so compelled to tell others call because she could not keep what she experienced to herself.
we could do well to learn from her:
she took immediate action with urgency.
she was outwardly focused in wanting others to experience and to know what she knew.
she shared with such great joy and excitement.
she left her water. she left behind a daily necessity.
what are you willing to leave behind for the sake of spreading the gospel?
~ natalie schmidt