Kinda like on the east coast there are certain neighborhoods still to this day I am told, that if you are Irish walking down the street in an Italian neighborhood, you better watch your back. And you certainly wouldn't want to enter an Irish pub, if you are wearing Italian colors!
Well, and then he wasn't supposed to be speaking to this woman, or A woman for that matter.
If you think Jesus wasn't a rebel, think again.
He most certainly was a rebel in his day. He bucked the system around every corner of his life, and he did it with a passion and a purpose. I don't mean to say he went around aimlessly causing trouble, but he definitely knew where to stir some stinky pots. And this was a pot he thought should be stirred. He knew there were some things that it was good to rebel against.
Back to this story. I have always loved this story because right from the start Jesus exposes his humanity first. He says to the woman, "I am thirsty". He asks her for a favor. He's been walking and he really needs a drink. Often times I think we overlook this about Jesus. He was both God and Man. Fully God. Fully Man. It's a mystery that I will study for the rest of my life. I think this must have put this woman at ease a little. It would have been like a celebrity asking YOU for your autograph. She probably thought it was funny, and I am sure right away she could see this man was different.
I am sure she is also shocked by his request because she knows he's not supposed to be talking to her so she points out the obvious and says, "But you don't have anything to put the water in" There's a song coming on here. Wait for it... wait for it... (There's a whole in your bucket dear Jesus, dear Jesus) sorry I couldn't resist. Or like, you don't have a pen for my autograph, silly!
***Jesus cuts the small talk at this point and then goes on to describe to her that all who drink from that well will be thirsty again, but there is another well with "Living" water that he could give her so that she will never thirst again.
Hmm....
Well you don't have to ask this woman twice to take this "Living" water that he speaks of. She's no dumby. She knows if she gets water that she doesn't ever get thirsty from again, then she will never have to do this chore of going to get water again. And if she never has to do this chore of getting water again, then her life would be made that much easier. And this lady, she could use a little "easy" in her life. Couldn't we all use a little "easy"?
Also, this chore, well it's one that this woman in particular really doesn't like.
She doesn't like the chore of getting water because it means that she has to go somewhere where only women will be. Sometimes women... well they can be catty. And she has had her fair share of catty women. It's like baby showers, with only women. Bridal showers with only women. Hair Salons, only women. Most PTA meetings, only women. You get the idea. If you are women who other women admire, these events, this chore is no big deal. She was not. She preferred to hang out with the men. But, Men didn't do this chore of going and getting water apparently.
Hmmm men who don't do chores? Wait... Don't let me get off topic here.
Ok, so when she ASKS for the "Living" water Jesus immediately wants to know what other well in her life she's been drinking from. So he says to her this,
"Go call your husband and come back here"
Some might think that Jesus was being a tricky trickster with that remark, but I see it as him just wanting... (another song coming on here)... "to get down to the heart of the matter" He wants to know if she will be honest about what other well has been feeding her soul.
She knows the bitter truth about her life.
He knows it to.
Don't we all know the bitter truths about our lives?
We know there are other wells in life that we draw from that are neither healthy, nor truly satisfying in the end. We are left wanting, thirsting for more.
The wells of life come in all shapes and sizes.
They can look like;
Husbands.
Shoes.
Drugs.
Wives.
Clothes.
Alcohol.
Health,Fitness,Our Looks.
Cars.
Money.
You get the idea.
Jesus knows that before we can truly receive "Living" water we have to be honest with him and ourselves about what other wells in our lives we have been looking to.
Because don't we have to admit to the truth before we can receive healing?
We have to say it out loud.
She says;
"I don't have a husband" In fact she's had 7 and the man she lives with now isn't even her husband. What would you say is this woman's well? Approval of Man, Lust,??
After she admits the truth, she tries to distract Jesus.
Psh... like you can distract the Lover of your Soul.
But don't we try?
Sometimes the truth hurts and we want Jesus to look away.
He doesn't.
You know what else he doesn't do?
Jesus doesn't condemn.
He doesn't scorn.
He looks with love.
He says, I am what you are looking for.
Your search is over.
You can stop wandering in the wilderness.
Come and drink and finally be satisfied.
"I am empty but I know your well does not run dry"
John 4
No comments:
Post a Comment