Read: John 4:1-42
Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.” (John 4:28-29; 39-42, NRSV).
I’d like to tell you that everything was different for me after that day at the well. In truth, only a few things have changed, but they have made all the difference. Does that make sense? Maybe it will if I tell you a little bit more about what happened after that day at the well.
I’m used to being notorious, but after that day, I was notorious for a different reason. I was the one who had brought back the good news, after all. Suddenly I was a celebrity! Women who hadn’t talked to me in years were suddenly all chummy. To tell you the truth, it was a little disconcerting. And of course, it didn’t last. Does that sound cynical? Well, let’s just say I’m realistic about human nature. I suppose you could say I have trust issues.
Who wouldn’t? As Jesus pointed out during our famous conversation, I had had rather more husbands than most women. He didn’t put it exactly that way, but from what he said, I knew there was no use prevaricating. What struck me at that moment, however, was not just the fact that he seemed to know everything about me. It was the gentleness of his tone. He even smiled a little as he said it—as if he was teasing me.
I love a man with a good sense of irony.
That was the moment when our conversation moved past the usual platitudes. We started talking theology. I had always been interested in such things, but until Jesus came along, no one seemed to take my questions seriously. I drank up that conversation like someone who was dying of thirst…which I suppose I was.
Well, you know what happened next. I was so excited about the encounter—and so certain that Jesus was none other than the Messiah—that I threw caution to the wind and ran back to tell everyone about him. You should have seen the look on my neighbors’ faces! They were used to me going out of my way to avoid them (a preemptive strike on my part), but I rushed right up to the very people who had shunned me for so long. At first I saw revulsion—then wariness—then incredulity—then curiosity—then excitement. Finally, they had to run and see for themselves.
I guess you could say I had my fifteen minutes of fame after that. But I didn’t really mind when it passed. Fame is overrated. What hasn’t faded is my new-found self-esteem. Jesus gave that to me, and it’s growing every day—just like my relationship with God.
I’m pretty sure that’s why I no longer wait until the middle of the day to draw water from the well. Now I go when it’s cooler, like everyone else. Sure, some of them still shun me. (Old habits die hard.) But I no longer rely on their approval for my sense of self.
Oh, one more thing. I’m no longer living with that last guy who was “not my husband.” The only reason I’d been living with him before was because our society has no place for women who are—for whatever reason—on their own. It was that or starve if you know what I mean. But now one of my neighbors has taken me in. She’s a widow, but we get by with a little help from our friends. Thank goodness there are still a few people around who remember what Jesus taught us. I, for one, am very grateful.
Ponder: How has this imagined “update” from the woman at the well changed your attitude toward her?
Pray: Make us thirsty for living water, O God, and make our lives a reliable source of that water for others.