Come Thirsty
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John 4:25-30-39-42
25. The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." 26. Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." 27. Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" 28. So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, 29. "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" 30. They went out of the city and were coming to him. 39. Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." 40. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41. And many more believed because of his word. 42. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
Immediately preceding these verses is the story of the Woman at the Well. She is one of the New Testament figures to whom I most relate. Not that I have had “many husbands” as we learn she has. I relate to her because of her thirst. She represents, for me, that part of each of us that longs for something more than what this world can offer us. She needed hope. She needed to be looked upon as a person of value. She needed Christ! She is each of us.
The story tells us that it was noon or mid-afternoon when the woman went to the well in the center of town for water. Most often women or older children went to the well early in the morning before it was too hot, and in order to have water for cooking and cleaning for the day. This woman was either shunned by the other women or was ashamed and wanted to avoid the sneers and sarcastic asides of the other women and so avoided them.
Of course we know that it was no coincidence that Jesus chose to rest at that particular well. It wasn’t uncommon for the disciples to play a “caretaking” role on Christ’s behalf. They wanted to serve him and do whatever they could to protect and sustain him, so they went to town to buy food while he rested at that well. The woman was so overcome with excitement and astonishment, she forgot why she had even come to that well – or no longer cared. Though she was an outcast, she spoke to everyone she met. She didn’t care what the others said or thought—she couldn’t keep this to herself! It had to be shared!
The surprising thing is that the others believed her. Even though she was a woman; even though she was an outcast; even though she had no right to look them in the eye, they believed her! I imagine they thought she must be speaking the truth since she was defying all convention and disregarding her low status to address them. I’m sure they noticed the change in her face and in her eyes, as well. The sullen, gray complexion and dull, dark eyes were surely to a smooth, warm skin tone and dancing, sparkling eyes! She must have truly met the Messiah! Nothing else could explain the profound transformation.
What about us? We’ve drunk deeply from that well. Do we glow? Do our eyes dance and sparkle when we share the Good News? Are we truly new creatures in Christ? All too often we keep silent so as not to offend or annoy others. Political correctness seems to be the order of the day in the U.S. Be careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings by sharing your religious beliefs. We don’t want to take the chance that someone will think we’re a “Jesus freak” or wacky, or out of touch with “reality.” The message Christ delivered is for everyone. If we truly live a Christ-like life, we couldn’t possibly offend anyone. Nothing we say about Jesus and His message is counter to acceptance, peace, cooperation, understanding or compassion. Jesus stands for hope! Jesus is the incarnation of God’s grace.
I believe that any God big enough to send his son/himself to earth to deliver a message so profound and so radical is big enough to love and accept all faiths based on the principles Christ represents. Some faith systems are much older than Christianity. I think Christ is for those of us who need him. Don’t forget, Christ is God! I don’t think it can be wrong for those of other faiths to worship God based on their history, ethnicity and heritage. We all have the same goal: heaven. Call me a heretic, but I think God can be manifested in many different ways. We all hunger and thirst for Him. I have found Him in the person of Christ. That well is never empty. No matter how thirsty I am, my thirst is quenched each time I read His word and live out His teachings to the best of my ability.
My prayer today is that you come thirsty to the well of living water. And that you offer a cool drink to everyone you meet.
Mary
Labels: belief, Christ, faith, God, Messiah woman
