I was reminded of one of my favorite moments in time by a recent prayer request. Most of you will find the story familiar and yet it’s worth retelling. The woman at the well (John 4:1-42). There’s a sweetness that one will miss if they skim over the words too quickly. This Samaritan woman likely heard the whispers and felt the shame. How many can relate? She had been married five times and now found herself with another man that was not her husband. I feel quite certain she was the talk of the town. Even without cell phones and email, women of that day were probably not much different from women of present day when it came to gossip. Given her reputation, you would have to wonder how many women wondered if she had gotten too close to their own family. The scriptures don’t say, but what they do tell us is so very significant. Typically, women drew water from the well during the early morning hours but we enter into her chore at midday. We don’t really know why she was there at an unusual time, but she was none the less. Another key point is that Jews avoided the area of Samaria at all costs and it was highly unlikely a Jewish man and a Samaritan woman would be spotted conversing. Yet here they are; a woman thirsty for redemption, for acceptance and in the presence of the only One who can quench it. Does she recognize it at first? Of course not. So imagine her surprise when he, a man – a Jewish man, asked her for water. Was she stunned? Possibly. Did she question his intentions? Most likely, look at vs. 9. Her heart had already been trampled on at least 6 times that we are made aware of. But I love her spirit, “how can you ask me for water when Jews and Samaritans have nothing to do with each other?” And what does Jesus do? Only what he can. He tells her of the living water and then questions her about her husband. When she admits she is not married – does he scold? Does he condemn? Not a chance. To sum it up, he says, “I know. And I know all that you have done” (vs. 17-18). And as if that isn’t enough, he blesses her honesty in the grandest fashion – he reveals himself to her (vs 26)! Now don’t miss some key elements.

• Look back at vs. 4. It states he had to go to Samaria. Could it have been for this one encounter? I’d like to think so, since we’ve already said Jews typically avoided Samaria. (Thanks Max Lucado for pointing this out in Six Hours One Friday)
• He didn’t reveal himself to royalty or only to those that society would have deemed as worthy. He walked in , incognito if you will, until the appointed time. Plopped himself down by the well in the heat of the day eagerly anticipating the arrival of a Samaritan woman with her head hung down in shame. He saw her heart and she received him and because she did, her life was changed. And that was just the beginning.
• Look what she left behind in vs 28. Her water jar! What was just moments before the task at hand no longer mattered. She drops her jar and takes off running with excitement.
• Then the beauty of God’s people began to spread like crazy (vs 39-42). Jesus, being full of grace, stayed 2 more days and the scripture says many more came to know him.

A broken woman with an empty vessel and a heavy heart. One encounter with the Messiah and countless lives were changed. His grace, his mercy, his love – they’re all contagious. And they’re all ours for the asking.

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