John 4:1-42
The long standing tension between Jews and Samaritans had over the years developed to the extent that some Jews would avoid going through Samaria and choose to take the longer route to Jerusalem.
Jesus could have avoided going through Samaria, but he chose not to. The choice he made led to his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, which led to her own conversion and the conversion of the people in her town. The first lesson here is that the choices we make in life have an impact on others.
Even if they may not be the easiest option, we must consider our choices and decisions carefully and assess what possible impacts they may have on others.
At the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, we see Jesus breaking down the barriers of race, ethnicity and gender to reach out to the Samaritan woman. In the journey of life, we meet people of different ethnic origins, races, religions, educational backgrounds, and denominations.
Like Jesus, we must be willing to put aside our prejudices and allow God to use us so we can share with them the good news of salvation. I like you to ponder- what social, ethnic or religious barriers are difficult for you to break through? How does Jesus relate to these people you find difficult?
Let us see how Jesus relates to this woman from a different background in verses 15- 30. Jesus’s conversation with the Samaritan woman is similar to the manner in which Jesus engaged in the conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:1-6. Jesus is offering the Samaritan woman “Living Water” however this is misunderstood.
Like the Samaritan woman, we need to read the scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit to understand what God is saying to us. Jesus brought up the issue of her failed marriages without making her feel condemned. She opened up to Jesus and told him the truth about her life. Do you condemn others when you hear of their past?
As the conversation progressed, her mind was opened to the scriptures which says that God is Spirit and they that worship him, must worship in Spirit and in truth. Our worship must be God focused.
God is not confined to one place or in things. The disciples on their return were surprised to find Jesus having a conversation with a woman, but they could not ask Jesus why he was talking with the woman. As a follower of Jesus, be prepared for surprises. He is always doing things in an unconventional manner.
The last thing I will like us to consider is the testimony that emerged from verses 31-42. Jesus had sent his disciples to a nearby town to get some food, but when they came back with the food, he told them he had food they knew nothing about.
What food was Jesus talking about? His mission – which is to do the will of his father; the salvation of the lost. Could that be the reason why Jesus decided to pass through Samaria?
This was in spite of a prior experience Jesus had in Luke Chapter 9: 53 when he proposed to pass through Samaria and the people of a Samaritan village did not welcome him. Don’t be put off by previous bad experiences. The Samaritan woman through her encounter with Jesus came to believe, and as a result of her faith, she went and told her community about Jesus.
Despite her bad image, the Samaritans believed her testimony and when they met Jesus in person, their faith in him became real. Like Jesus, we can break down barriers, reach the lost and see testimonies emerge so let’s go and do likewise (Luke 10:37).