“So the woman left her waterpot and went into the city.” John 4:28
This verse is in there very middle of this chapter. We nearly always overlook the power of this moment as Jesus and the “woman at the well” meet and talk. We all know she had 5 (6?) husbands, we know she was a despised Samaritan and we know that she was… well, a woman. She is the complete OPPOSITE of the other characters in this text.
The disciples were men, from strict religious communities and (seemingly) tried to follow a morality derived from the law. She is a doomed and hopeless woman reduced to shame. True to form, Jesus initiates conversation with her and takes time to teach her truth. He shows her value. Fast forward through her “come to Jesus” (pun intended!) moment in verse 28. She believes she has found Messiah ! Jesus’ claim to be “Living Water” (v. 10) has changed everything and the water that springs from Him cannot compare to the stagnant liquid from her old waterpot. The dull waterpot fulfilled her physical need yet it couldn’t change the reality of her anguished soul. Her first drink of faith in Christ takes her from thirsty to satiated and from defeated to drenched!
Naturally, she had to put that waterpot down to rush back to the city and tell others about this Man! These are the Bible passages we tend to overlook because we just can’t relate to the primary character. Or can we? Where do we remain thirsty and defeated in our lives? Are we willing to humble ourselves and receive true refreshment from His presence? Do we have a symbolic “waterpot” that just need to be left? This woman was completely changed and became the primary source of the gospel to her city! Maybe we should change her name from the “woman at the well” to the woman from the well.” Jesus wants to be the same for us!
