Pastoral Support for Living Life to the Full
Getting to know Jesus over a cup of water
Imagine the Creator of the universe, the All-Powerful, sits down next to you, asks for a cup of water, and just wants to get to know you, —yes, you! As it turns out, Jesus already knows you, but you get to know Him, and your world changes. You have hope for the first time, and you no longer feel so alone. This is exactly what the Samaritan woman experienced more than 2000 years ago. A typical day of drawing water from a well changed her life.
“There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink’ …
the Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since
I am a Samaritan woman?’ (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered
and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water’ …The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water…
John 4
John reveals two things in this passage: the woman’s needs and Christ’s ability to meet those needs. Understanding the Samaritan woman’s needs help us understand our own. Embracing both Jesus’ ability to meet the needs of the Samaritan woman, and the manner in which He does, opens our heart to know Jesus more and to love others in more meaningful ways. So whether you take these thoughts for your own needs or to help you understand others, come on a journey of relationship with the Living Water. . . . . ....
Understanding our needs
“You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?
John 4:9
Jesus engaged the Samaritan woman at her point of need. Her words reveal very human, relational needs. As we understand where she is, we can begin to see the relational needs that she has.
She needed acceptance of who she was, respect for who she is, and attention, a basic need not to be alone.
Jesus met her need of ACCEPTANCE
Even with her questionable background, Jesus was open to talk with her. He accepted her in all of her humanity, even her lifestyle! In Jesus’ day, Jews did not associate with Samaritans because they considered them, impure and practiced impure worship traditions.
Jesus met her need of ATTENTION
Jesus believed her worthy of attention and consideration, He stepped over the racist, religious and gender barriers and spoke to a Samaritan. He addressed the woman’s hurt by speaking to her directly and refraining from judgment about how she worshipped
Jesus met her need for RESPECT
It was unusual for men to speak with women they were not related to and especially women with the Samaritan woman’s lifestyle. This explains the disciples “were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman” (John 4:27). How Jesus responded to the Samaritan woman’s theological questions is also important to notice (John 4:19–20). Theology was typically reserved for the men of Jesus’ day; women were excluded from theological discussions. By responding to the woman’s theological inquiries, Jesus showed her respect.
The Samaritan woman was feeling alone, ostracized, and emotionally hurt. She was drawing water from the well in the middle of the day, when most women would have gone together early in the day to avoid the heat. Because of the social stigma, it is not far fetched to assume the woman was trying to avoid people, perhaps so she wouldn’t have to face ridicule by the other women from town. In the midst of her aloneness, Jesus initiated a conversation. His simple request of asking for a drink of water demonstrated that He valued her, accepted her, and showed her respect. Jesus led the woman in a conversation that revealed her needs: relief from loneliness and sinfulness. The way He received her began to connect at the point of her loneliness. Jesus’ revealing His knowledge of her formed a connection at the point of her sinfulness, expressing God’s desire to give her “living water” through the Messiah.
The exchange Jesus had with the woman at the well is the same exchange Jesus wants to have with each of us. We too are hurt and needy, but God offers us a relationship that removes our aloneness. Just as Jesus met the Samaritan woman’s human needs of acceptance, attention, and respect, He met her spiritual needs for forgiveness and redemption—He offers the same for each of us.
Experiencing God for ourselves
Consider the heart of Jesus and what moved Him to meet the needs of the Samaritan woman. His desire that she wouldn’t feel alone. His love and respect for her as a person who had made some poor life choices, but was still worth the gift of forgiveness. Jesus looked past these choices to her hurting heart.
How do these truths about the nature of Jesus make you feel today?
Note down how these make you feel.
Would you allow Jesus to meet your needs and care about your life?
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Our Response
When we consider that the Lord is interested in establishing both an intimate relationship with us and helping us become more and more like Himself, our perspective of the world around us can completely change.
Pray:
Jesus, thank You for welcoming me as I am. Thank You for your desire to relate to me, both at the point of my aloneness and my sinfulness. Thank You for your grace and compassion. Would You fill my heart with Your love and teach me to follow You?
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
He rises to show you compassion.
Isaiah 30:18
It’s both our aloneness and our fallenness that move God`s heart with love towards us.
Responding to others
As we experience more of this compassionate love from the Lord, let’s
allow the Holy Spirit to move our hearts with the same for others. Just
as we receive God’s care for both our aloneness and our fallenness,
might we share it with others.
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Jesus noticed the woman`s needs and responded to her aloneness
with compassion.
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How aware are you of other peoples needs for relation?
Have you missed the hurt in another person`s heart, or been a part of hurting them yourself?
Have you judged others based on their surface appearance and
not the neediness in their hearts?
Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you
Romans 15:7
Since Christ accepts us, with all our short-comings, we can do the same for others. As we begin to embrace the truth that Jesus cares deeply for us, regardless of our failings, this realization challenges us to do the same.
Remember how you felt moments ago when you reflected on Christ’s acceptance and compassion for you? Were you filled with joy, gratefulness, or a sense of peace? The Samaritan woman must have experienced similar feelings. She was moved with so much gratitude that she could not help but tell her story.
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Because the Samaritan woman shared her story:
“many of the Samaritans believed” John 4:39
May the same be true for us. Our story is powerful. People need to hear our experiences with Jesus. Consider whom you might share your story of your experience with Jesus’ love, acceptance, and compassion.
If you want to know more about relational needs people have and how to effectively meet them, see "Aloneness" or contact and further reflections will
be posted.