I have always loved the story of the “woman at the well” in John 4. Part of me identifies with the Samaritan woman’s instinct to hide. She purposefully came to get water in the middle of the day, willing to endure the heat so that she could also avoid the crowds that came at cooler parts of the day (and avoid the conversations and judgement that came with those interactions). Jesus saw her, a foreigner, saw all her troubled life, and chose not to condemn her. Instead, He offered her everlasting life (for the full story, check out John 4:1-42). I think it highlights one of the coolest parts of the gospel: Jesus didn’t just come for the Jews, but to offer salvation to everyone!
However, I think there’s something else about the character of Jesus that we often miss when reading this story. Philippians 2:7 reminds us that Jesus “…made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” There are many other scriptures that highlight the servant-heart of Jesus, and how He followed God’s will, even to death on a cross.
If we think about the woman at the well, there are verses that show Jesus is simply following God’s plan. I wonder if Jesus went and sat at that particular well just because God told Him to. Yes, Jesus is beyond human, and yes, it was a special well, but He was also tired from His journey, just like any of us would be. John 4:6 says, “Jesus, worn out from the journey, sat down at the well.” It doesn’t say He went there on purpose. In fact, verse 4 said, “He had to go through Samaria.” None of that sounds like He was on a mission, in fact “through” implies it wasn’t meant to be a stopping place at all. He had to go through Samaria and got tired. Maybe we have fewer wells and camels, but it sounds like something we all deal with. How many times are we just walking through?
It reminds me of one cold morning when I was walking my dog. Honestly, taking the dog out is not something I usually do, but she was driving me crazy, and I wanted to let my husband sleep in. I tried to have a positive attitude as I bundled up and rushed through the neighborhood. My mind was focused on the cold weather and my warm coffee waiting inside.
Suddenly, I heard God tell me to go across the street. It was strange because we usually follow the same sidewalk, but when I looked across the street, I noticed an apartment complex that I had never seen before. So, I decided to go (after all, it’s not that often that I hear God speak to me so clearly), but I was still thinking, “I’ll do a quick lap and then get back home” until I suddenly heard, “slow down.”
As I became more aware, I looked around and began praying. There was nothing obvious, in fact no one even appeared to be awake. However, there were names on the mailboxes, so I just walked up and started praying for them.
I wish I could say I did or saw something miraculous, but I didn’t. Oftentimes, especially after hearing God so clearly speak, I want an immediate response from God. But that didn’t happen. Instead, God opened my eyes to what it means to have a servant-heart.
You see, a servant’s job is to be constantly listening for their call to serve their master. God calls us to be like Jesus, and it’s easy to think how that means to love and serve like Him. But what if we remember how many times Jesus slowed down to just be with the people around Him? In fact, after the woman realized that He was the Messiah and told the whole town, Jesus chose to stay two more days (v. 40). He preached to a town that was considered, at that time, unholy and impure, and saved many just because of His willingness to sit and stay where God had led him.
