A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” John 4: 7, NKJV
Thank You Holy Father, for giving us a sense of worth by asking us to give to You, who are the Giver of life and every good gift, something of ourselves. May You continue to speak to our hearts today, for we are listening! Amen
As we continue in our Mother’s Day series, I am happy to share with you the story of, “the woman at the well.” I have shared her story with you before. I also mentioned her during our series on Songs in the Night. I am confident that the Holy Spirit will enlighten us in ways that we have not seen before.
There is something empowering, about asking a favor of someone. It is an indication that they have something that you obviously consider worth having. Jesus, who not only keeps a record of the hairs on our head (Matthew 10: 30); and keeps our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56: 8); also knows the thoughts of our hearts (Matthew 9: 4). I imagine Jesus took one look at this woman, and knew just what she needed to hear! She had been shunned, perhaps all her life; but now a Jewish man, of all people, is asking a favor of her! That’s strange; after all, “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (John 4: 9). Permit me to use my imagination a bit. I believe that in that moment, for that one, brief moment in time, her sense of wholeness returned. Yet, having been the blunt of society’s scorn, it did not last very long.
There is something so special about the Savior! While He is asking us to do something, He is getting ready to give us more than we would even dare to ask of Him! Wonderful Savior! Blessed Lord! When He invites us to take heed to His Word, it is because He wants to cleanse our heart (Psalm 119: 9). When He encourages us to hide His Word in our hearts, it is because He wants to keep us from sinning against Him (11). He is asking her for a drink of water, which, after He drinks it, He will be thirsty again; so that He might awaken in her a thirst for “water” that will quench her “thirst” forever!
He is re-creating her. He is changing her from a broken vessel to a beautiful work of art! After all He is the One and Only Potter, who changes lives, permanently; if we are willing to stay in His hands! Oftentimes, we encourage people to go out and share their testimony; to share their faith. What can we say to others that will build them up, if we are broken?
It would be wonderful if we could learn from Jesus His method of empowering. He does not bombard her with a list of, sounds good to the ears, but does nothing for the heart; cliches. He fills the void, by empowering her, then, and only then, can she appreciate what He is offering her. She now sees Him as One whom she can trust. He has taken her to a safe place in her psyche! She is now in a better frame of mind to go on to a higher level, of confidentiality! She is now prepared to receive a hard truth!
After she sees her real condition; she is able to do something about it. She can now tread the paths that she once dreaded; to help in the preparation of the harvest, that her testimony will bring. She can do that without clinging to her waterpot, and she does! How comes? Because she no longer feels broken. Perhaps for the first time in her life, she feels really beautiful! And it was all because one day, she met the only Man, she ever really needed: Jesus, the Christ!