6 Lessons From the Woman at the Well
The afternoon blazes white overhead as perspiration streams down her brow. She carries her water jug to the well, choosing to come in the middle of the day to avoid conversations with others. She will forever be known as the woman at the well, the first person to whom Jesus revealed his identity as the Messiah.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at this story and reflect on some practical lessons from the woman at the well.
Before we begin, I invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a library of free devotionals to help you establish a rhythm of encountering the life-giving presence of God daily.
Now, let’s return to this narrative.
Lessons From the Woman at the Well
As the woman approaches the well, she glances up and sees him sitting there, right beside the well: a Jewish man.
Jews, particularly Jewish men, don’t associate with Samaritans. She expects to draw her water and be on her way.
“Will you give me a drink?” the man startles her with the question, and she studies him for some sign of malice.
“You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” she questions carefully.
“If you knew the one to whom you were speaking, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water,” the man replies.
His voice carries authority, but his words are perplexing. Drawn in, she asks, “Sir, where can you get this living water?”
“The water I give will become a spring inside you, welling up into eternal life,” he replies.
“Sir, give me this water so I won’t go thirsty again,” she pleads.
Jesus Sees and Knows Us
His gaze softens, meets hers. “Go, call your husband,” he gently says.
“I have no husband,” she mutters in shame.
Knowing this already, he responds, “You are right. You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t your husband.”
Her breath catches. How could he know this? Yet there is something in his tone that does not condemn her. She feels seen, cared for.
“I see that you are a prophet,” she whispers.
As their conversation turns to worship and to the centuries-old disdain between Jews and Samaritans, the woman declares “I know that the Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”
“I am He, the One speaking to you,” the man replies.
At that moment, the disciples return to find Jesus sitting with the woman. She leaves her water jar and runs toward town, laughter in her heart and tears on her face.
“Come and see the Man who told me everything I ever did!” she shouts.
Lessons From the Woman at the Well
Now that we’ve reviewed this story from John 4:1-12, let’s see what we can learn from it.
Lesson #1. There are no social barriers in God’s Kingdom.
The disciples were appalled that Jesus was associating with a Samaritan woman. Furthermore, as a man, it was socially unacceptable for Jesus to interact with a woman.
Nevertheless, Jesus did more than interact with her. He asked her for a drink of water from her jug.
We are to follow Jesus’ example by breaking cultural and social barriers. All people need to encounter Jesus, and we are his vessels of love in this world.
Let’s also notice that Jesus didn’t come to this woman preaching with force. Rather, he asked her to help him. What if we learned to share the Gospel by approaching others humbly, admitting that they might have something to offer us as well?
Lesson #2. We are not defined by our past.
The woman came to the well in the heat of the day because she had a difficult past.
Women did not initiate divorce in ancient times. This woman had been turned away by five different men for reasons we don’t know. These reasons might not have been any fault of her own. She might have been unable to bear children, a circumstance that would have been crushing to her as well.
This woman did not need shame; she needed compassion, friendship.
Jesus had compassion toward her. He also showed her that her past did not define her. He was giving her a new future.
Lesson #3. We are not defined by what other people say about us.
As a result of her past, this woman was rejected by her community. She didn’t draw water with the other women because she was an outcast, the object of their gossip.
By speaking with her and showing that he knew about her past, Jesus was revealing that the comments of others did not define her.
This is true for us as well. When we receive Jesus, he gives us new identities as his deeply loved children. We are not defined by what others say about us. We are defined by his love for us.
Three More Lessons From the Woman at the Well
Lesson #4. Jesus sees us.
It would have been easy for Jesus to overlook this woman and keep traveling through Samaria.
But he stopped.
He saw her.
He spoke to her deepest need, her need for living water.
Jesus sees you today too, friend. You might feel forgotten by God, but he has never looked away from you. He is inviting you to draw near to him. He wants to lift you up, affirm your identity, and give you a sense of purpose for your life. Turn to him today. He is pursuing you.
You might feel forgotten by God, but he has never stopped pursuing you. #faith #trust Share on XLesson #5. One encounter with Jesus can change us forever.
One encounter with Jesus changed this woman’s life forever.
This is true for us today as well.
Have you encountered Jesus in a way that has transformed you?
If not, he is waiting for you to turn to him today. Receive his forgiveness and tell him you will follow him. He is waiting with open arms.
Lesson #6. We are to spread the message about Jesus.
Jesus gave the woman at the well a sense of purpose in life. She was so moved by her encounter that she ran to the people she had been avoiding so that she could them the good news about the Messiah.
Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of this story is something we can easily overlook: This was the first time Jesus directly revealed his identity as the Messiah to another person.
He chose the most unexpected person, an outcast woman from a rejected group of people, and he made his identity as God’s Son known to her.
He is revealing himself to you today as well. How will you respond?
Read here for six powerful lessons from the woman at the well. #Biblestories #Jesus Share on X
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