Dealing with Confusion

There was a message inside the Samaritan woman in John 4, but by the time she got to her 5th husband, he had created a silence in her life. That silence is relevant, the silence of the soul. Everybody hears it, yet no one speaks about it. Let's look into this silence a bit further.

Traditionally, women of that period flocked together. Fetching water like most other activities then were communal. Mothers and daughters would gather and get the water needed for daily activities. This woman had come to the well alone at noon. Noon was a significant time because a few more hours, and there would be scorching heat. Retrieving water would be ardous, and wisdom would be to wait until the cool of the day, with everybody else. This woman had to make the trip alone.

We can only speculate what happened. It may have been as a result of something that kept creeping up in all her relationships, ensuring they never lasted, or maybe it was a discord with another woman. My theory is that she was a strong woman. The strength of her mind is reflected in her conversation with Jesus. Regardless of her current situation, her identity was still in tact. She was unmoved by her isolation. They discussed theology (questions about the nature of God), engineering (the depths of the well), and her personal life (which she quickly deflected). All pointing to a strong woman.

By the time she met Jesus, sent by God specifically to Samaria, her world had become silent. There was a message in her, but this message was now stuck. This happens to us when we try to share our life's message, emphasis on try. We get stuck/ confused because Jesus himself is the message. Not our gifts, talents, personality, or ability, which are all important and relevant. But Jesus Himself. Whenever the focus shifts from this to anything else, we will get stuck because we've left the message and focused on the methods.

When this woman met with Jesus, she received a message from that brief conversation. With that message, she made a new connection with her people: "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" That's a leap of faith on her part. Many people at that time could see into people's lives and prophesy. But she was a strong woman with great intellectual prowress. Within moments, she had converted her encounter with a man into a messianic speculation. Feeding their hunger for wonder. This method worked. Here's how the Scriptures put it:

John 4 (NIV) "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words, many more became believers."

First, there were 'many', then they became 'many more'. When the motive of the message is Jesus, the son of God, the witness will be effective.

#Grace

#Faith

#Love

#Gospel

#Goodworks