By the side of the road

Jesus met a woman at the well. He was thirsty and she was there to draw water. She came to the well at noon to avoid the other women in the town of Samaria. She was not well thought of by the others in the community. Jesus engaged in conversation with her and said that living water was available to her and she would never be thirsty again. She asked how she could have the living water and thirst no more. He told her to get her husband and return. She told him she didn’t have a husband. Jesus knew this was correct and told her that she has had five husbands but the man she currently lived with was not her husband. She said that Jesus must be a prophet to know that about her and she knew that the Messiah, the one called Christ, was coming. Jesus said, “I am he.”

This woman was an outcast in her community because she had been married five times and this was not acceptable. Jesus offers her living water which changes her and she goes to tell her friends.

Is it five husbands? Divorce? Economic worries? Anger? Bankruptcy? What are the things which are keeping us from Jesus? What messages have been given to people to make them feel like an outcast? Did Jesus judge the woman harshly and send her away in disgrace? No, he gave her living water to transform all that is in her life. She then told her friends and they came to believe because they also met Jesus and found the Savior. Who is waiting to hear about Jesus in your community? Who is thirsting for the Living Water? Who is alone at the well at noon?

Jo Mead

Walking The Road

Jo Mead is a seminary student at St. Paul's School of Theology, and assists Asbury with our Senior Care ministry programs.