A City Turns Around

When she met Jesus by a well, the Samaritan woman seemed curiously confident. She was intrigued by His comments about “living water” and how this water would spring up to eternal life.

When she asked Jesus for this water, He told her to call her husband. But, as He knew, she had had five husbands and wasn’t married to the man she was living with.

Perceiving that He was a prophet, she turned the conversation to traditions about the place of proper worship. Yet Jesus stressed that God’s main concern was the condition of our hearts, not the location of our worship. He desired worship in “spirit and truth.”

The woman stated her conviction that “Messiah is coming” and would “declare all things to us.”

Jesus replied to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

After the disciples arrived, the woman left to tell others about Jesus. Inspired by her testimony, many from the city came to see Him. Their interest was so strong that they asked Him to stay longer, and “many more believed because of His word.”

These people of Samaria had come to Jesus because of the testimony of one woman. But their lives ultimately were changed because of their own experience. They had heard Him for themselves, and believed that He was “the Savior of the world.”

In your life, don’t hide behind traditions or excuses. Ask God to help you worship Him in spirit and truth. Let Him deal with the deep issues of your life. And remember to tell others about what Jesus has done for you. Help them to encounter Him for themselves.