Well-Intentioned

So [Jesus] came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

— John 4:5-6 (NRSVUE)

In John 4, Jesus draws together the lives of two women — 
Rachel and the Samaritan woman — separated by more than 1500 years, around Jacob’s well in the middle of a warm Samaritan day to reveal something crucial about his ministry and mission. (See Gen. 29 and Jn. 4:1-26.) As the new Jacob and true bridegroom of Israel (Jn. 3:29), Jesus showed himself to be above the fray of petty worship wars and family squabbles. Rather, he emphasized the basic humanity of the woman standing before him. She was someone, like Rachel, who had waited far too long for true love to find her. But Jesus saw her as someone worthy of engaging in meaningful conversation, and of dignity and love — this is Jesus’ good news and “living water” (Jn. 4:10-11).

As we walk through life, may we endeavor — by the grace Jesus offers us through the Holy Spirit — to keep our lives focused on bringing the living water of dignity and selfless love to those around us. Jesus’ example of rising above the swirl of endless debates to truly see and listen with godly discernment to the people we encounter is crucial “for just such as time as this” (Esther 4:14).