Being in the Right Place, With the Right Message, to the Right Person

John 4:5-26
5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there, Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 For the disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You being a Jew, ask a drink from me a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, ‘give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir you have nothing to draw with, and the well is so deep. Where then do you get that living water?” 12 “Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I should give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become a fountain springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband,” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 “for you have had five husbands, and the one who you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is that place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
There are times that we pick and choose people who we feel are worthy to associate with, the differences in lifestyles, social status, and many other factors that keep us from demonstrating God’s love to others. Not to forget those who have hurt us and we feel that they are unworthy of God’s love. After my divorce my ex-wife became just such a person and it took me a long time to realize that even though I didn’t want to have a relationship with her, God did, and it was then I was able to pray for her. I am not talking about those who would harm our walk with the Lord, or even cause us harm, for Jesus said in Matthew 10:16; “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the mist of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” But how can we decide who we are to show God’s love towards, how are we to decide who is worthy of God’s love? Jesus ran into one of these undesirables at the well in this passage that the Jewish community felt that it was wrong to have any dealings with at all.
In 2 Kings verse 17:24-41 we read where the King of Assyria, in order to prevent resistance, removed and mixed the people of Samaria with other groups. The relationships and intermarriage of the Israelites with these people caused them to serve other gods, even though they still feared the Lord God. The priests were allowed to preach of God, but instead of leading their culture to worship in the one true God, they ended up merging with other beliefs that caused the Jews to hate the Samaritans.
So how did Jesus respond to this person that the Jewish community considered undesirable? He began by opening a conversation, as we would when we ask another how they are doing or begin to discuss the weather. Jesus had a need and this woman was able to fill that need. How many times has God placed us in a situation to fill a need that we have the resources to fill, and simply tells us to give them a drink. We do not know as Jesus and the woman engaged in conversation that she gave Jesus this drink or not. We do not know if she even cared if Jesus had a need in his life, but Jesus knew that she had a need. First she was coming to the well alone and at an hour when she could come without the other women around. We begin to come to the conclusion that this woman was an outcast in her own town. Granted Jesus being God knew this woman’s life better than we ever could know the life of a stranger, but by observing others we can see that they have needs in their lives as well. By seeing friends behave differently we can tell when something is bothering them. Basically by getting our eyes off our own lives and focusing on their lives we can learn a lot about others, and their needs.
So what did Jesus offer to this woman? He offered her hope. When we see the needs in another’s life and we have the means to meet that need we are to respond in love towards them and offer them hope. Hope for today, tomorrow, and eternity. Jesus said to her; “If you knew the gift of God,” which is salvation. He took the opportunity to witness of God’s love for her by using the illustration of water. The woman’s response was one of defense, which we also receive from others when we try and witness of God’s love for them. I know from my past that my first reaction to pain was defensive, that when others tried to get close with a loving spirit, having been hurt before, I reacted with caution not letting anyone get close enough to know me and have the chance to hurt me. This woman reacted in the same manner having been shunned by her community, and hated by the Jews, had left her with a bad taste in her mouth towards people, and running from relationship to relationship finding people that only wanted to use her. Is it any wonder that she approached this conversation with Jesus with such caution?
So how do we react to walls that are put up to the gospel of Christ? If we make ourselves available to God, He will put us in the right situation to witness of His love. Through His Spirit He will give us the words to speak, in Matthew 10:17-20 Jesus is telling His disciples what will happen to them as they witness before rulers. In verse 19 and 20 He tells them; “When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.” I believe that this words hold true to our witnessing to all, of God’s love. Remembering that the Father loves this person you are witnessing to more than you can imagine and if you allow Him to work through you to show His love for that person, than the words will come. I know that in my life there are times that while witnessing the words just seem to flow and I marvel that I am able to remember scripture, when I can’t remember to take out the trash, or say what is needed for that person at that time, when many times in my past I would say the wrong thing, and show anything but the love of God for another. At these times I realize that it is not me but the Spirit of a loving God witnessing of His love for the lost through me.
We have to remember that it is not about us, and as we go into a conversation, making ourselves available to the Holy Spirit, saying to yourself; “It is not about me, but about God’s love for this person.” This living water that Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman stills flows from and unending well of love for those who are lost to God, and He wants them for Himself, and He wants to work through you!