Have you ever had a chance meeting? Perhaps you sat next to someone on an airplane and the conversation you shared made a difference in your life. Maybe you were in line at Starbuck’s, and someone left you with a parting comment that intrigued you. In fact, you still think about it.
A Samaritan woman in Jesus’ day didn’t expect to have a random conversation as she stepped up to Jacob’s well. She was surprised when Jesus spoke to her, requesting a drink as she began to put water in her own jar. Since Jews and Samaritans, much less men and women, did not speak in public, the woman was surprised at His request. Noting that Jesus didn’t have anything to draw water with, she agreed to give him a drink.
The Samaritan woman thought her life story had already been written. She knew the poor life choices she had made, and that even in her own community, she was an outcast. After all, she had had several husbands and simply lived with the current man in her life. She knew that, but she couldn’t understand how Jesus knew it too. The more He questioned her, the more she realized who He was, who He had to be. The Samaritans were eagerly awaiting the Messiah and Jesus declared to the woman that He was the Messiah. In her excitement she ran back to her village to tell everyone what had happened. Ordinarily, she would not have tried to talk with anyone, but now she wanted everyone to know about the man at the well. “Go see for yourself,” she told them.
The more the woman explained how Jesus knew everything about her and that He didn’t condemn her, the more she wanted to spread the news. Now she had a way to rewrite her story. This Jesus gave her a new perspective on life. Here was living water and He had given it to her. Wow! You might call this the chance meeting of a lifetime.
I love this story because most of us are the Samaritan woman in one way or another. Jesus could easily point out our sins of pride, or jealousy, or disobedience. The thing is, He meets us at the well of our lives every day. He waits for us to receive Him and share the good news He has to offer. He’s excited to renew us, to pour out the stubbornness of yesterday, and fill us with a spirit of eternal goodness.
You can rewrite your story too. Let’s go to the well!