I Want To Be More Like The Woman At The Well

With this title, you’re probably wondering if I’ve lost it.

I imagine the women in my Bible study group on Monday thought the same thing when those words came spilling out of my mouth. That’s not a typical thought for most of us… wanting to be more like this woman. I mean, it’s likely this unnamed woman was an outcast to society. No, that’s not why I want to be more like her.

I invite you to read the story here.

 

This woman intrigues me.

I wonder her name.

Was it a familiar biblical name? Was it an uncommon one? Jesus knew this woman’s heart, and knew everything about her, he must have known her name. I wonder why it’s left out of the pages of scripture. Could it be because truly, her name could be Julie? Could our names be inserted in this story? Even though my sin isn’t hers, I have my own. My name would fit there just fine.

One trait I appreciate about Jesus is, just like in this biblical account, He meets us right where we are. Right in the sometimes messy-ness of life.

He met this woman at a well in the middle of the day.

Jesus chose to go to Samaria, to this very well, as if He had an appointment to keep. As the woman was drawing water by herself (which is an indication she was an outcast), He approached her. He placed Himself under an obligation to her by asking for a drink of water, which actually gave her the upper hand. Jesus talked with her–a woman and a Samaritan–which went against the culture and religion of the day. He caused her to think, to analyze her life, to realize her need, and to take her further in her faith.

And He revealed Himself to this unnamed, unknown-to-the-world woman. Jesus loved her to faith. Her life was transformed in that conversation. So much so, she left her water jar behind and ran back to town to tell of this Jesus.

I want to be more like this woman at the well.

I want talk with Jesus face to face.

Maybe I can’t see Jesus like this woman did, but I can still talk to Him. Just because my eyes don’t see Him, doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist. He hears me. He knows me. And just like this woman, He loves me. He loves us all.

I want to ask Jesus about what I don’t understand.

This woman was confused, and throughout her conversation with Jesus she asked questions and asked for clarification. You and I can do that too. When we don’t understand, we don’t have to look anywhere else but to Jesus and His Word. He has the answers we need.

I want to leave my water jar behind.

I find it significant that this woman left her water jar behind at the well. Water wasn’t available then like it is today. Without a water jar, one could not retrieve water from the well. But that didn’t matter to her. Her physical need was provided for and replaced by her spiritual fulfillment in Jesus. It was as if she was leaving her old way of life behind. May you and I leave our water jar at the well.

I want to go and tell my community about the man “who told me everything I ever did.”

This one might be the deep-down reason I want to be like the woman at the well. She didn’t keep this transformation to herself, but she went back to her community and told everyone about Jesus. Many came to believe through her words. Hmmm… can I say that about my words?

Jesus didn’t leave this woman at the well as she once was, but He changed her life completely.

When we allow Him into our hearts, He does the same.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42

Amen.

Blessings!

Julie

 

 

Linking this post with Holly and Kelly.