Moments of Recognition - August 12

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; PM Psalm 119:121-144 Judges 13:15-24; Acts 6:1-15; John 4:1-26 

The story of Jesus and the woman at the well is a rich text through which can we learn more about Jesus and the woman—and about ourselves.

First, let’s look more closely at Jesus and what we learn about him and from him in this story. When Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at the well, asking her to give him a drink, he was defying social conventions in that, first, a man from outside her family group was talking with her, a woman, in a time and place in which that was just not done. And, just as significant, Jesus as a Jew is defying social convention by interacting with a Samaritan.

As we hear of this woman’s interaction with Jesus, we also learn that she experiences Jesus as all-knowing, or as she declares him, a prophet. However, the important take-away we learn about Jesus is not so much that he knows things. Rather, what is most important to notice here is what Jesus does with that knowledge. Jesus reveals that he already knows all about it—and that he is asking her for water and having a conversation with her despite all that… or, I would argue, maybe even because of all that.

Next, let’s move into looking at what we learn about this woman through this story. As mentioned, we learn that this woman has some personal baggage. However, we also learn that this woman has religious knowledge; she is keenly aware of the differences between the Jews and the Samaritans. And then, in response to Jesus’ discussion of “true worshipers,” the woman shares another thing that she knows: “I know that Messiah is coming… When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” It is then that Jesus reveals that he, “the one who is speaking to you,” is the Messiah.

And so, what did the woman do next? “She left her water jar and went back to the city.” And when she returned to the city, she shared the Good News of Jesus: “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” While she still has some doubts, her sense of wonderment that Jesus “told her everything she has ever done” triumphs over those questions. She shares her testimony, even though by sharing it she is reminding her community of things she would rather not remind them of. What we learn about this woman is that she chose to share the news of the Messiah, the Christ, despite these very real, very personal repercussions.

Finally, what do we learn about ourselves when we hear the story of Jesus and the woman at the well? First, we learn that Jesus already knows all about us—and he still wants to talk with us and be with us anyway. There’s nothing we have thought about, nothing that we have done (or left undone), that God doesn’t already know. There’s no need for artifice. God already knows all about it. And yet Jesus still loves me—and he still loves you. Nothing we have done, or ever will do, can ever scare Jesus away from us.

Second, we learn about moments of recognition—that moment when Jesus showed he knew who the Samaritan woman really is, and that moment when the woman realized who he is (a prophet, and not only that, but the Messiah). Just as Jesus and the woman at the well had that moment of mutual recognition, so, too, do we have our own moments when we recognize who Jesus is to us, and when we realize (again and again) how fully we are known and loved by God. These moments of recognition will hopefully inspire us to go out, leave behind our own jars of water, and go back to the people in our lives to share our own testimonies of meeting Jesus at the well—wherever that place of encounter with God may be for each of us.

—Becky+

Questions for Self-Reflection

What aspects of yourself and your life do you wish that others could look beyond in order to recognize you for who you really are?

What do you learn from Jesus in this story that inspires you to get to know people who are different than you on some level?

Daily Challenge

Think of someone who you have made some assumptions about but who, on second thought, maybe you do not really know all that well. Commit to reaching out to that person this week to have a conversation in which you learn something new about them—and in which you share something of yourself with them.