Bible Study About The Woman Of Samaria- Part Two

Today I am continuing with the story of the Woman of Samaria. She is also referred to as The Woman at the Well.

After Jesus talked with the woman at the well, this is what Scripture says happened.

John 4:28-30
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,
"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

She dropped everything and ran to spread the news. She had been face to face with Jesus. The Promised One. The Messiah. Imagine how full her heart must of felt. She was so full, she could not hold it all in. She could not keep the good news to herself. She had to share it with others.

This same woman, only moments earlier, had gone to the well to draw water at a time of day when no other people would be around. Now, we see her running back to find the same people she had been avoiding, to share with them about this Man.

John 4:39-42
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.
They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

This is so touching to me. The very people who scorned her for her lifestyle,the ones that gossiped about her, the ones she avoided at the well, are the same ones that she literally led to Christ.

Only moments earlier they probably would not have given her the time of day, but something must have been different about her this time. I wonder if she looked or sounded different to them?. Did she look them in the eye, holding her head up high? Something about her made them take notice and listen.

I believe that Something different about her was a Someone. That Someone was Jesus. Jesus was the difference that made them take notice and listen.

John 4:39 says, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did.'"

Isn't that just like God. He doesn't need us to be specially trained, educated, popular, beautiful, thin, rich, or any other number of "sociably acceptable" qualities. He simply wants us to be willing. If we give Him our hearts and turn our lives over to Him, He will do the impossible through us. All we have to do is surrender and believe in Him.

I know then, just like today, most of the people that God chose to help bring people to know Him and His Son, are not the same people that we would have "chosen". Most of the time we judge people by what we see on the outside; God, thankfully, does not.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Society looked at the woman at the well and saw an immoral person, not worthy of even speaking to. God looked at that same woman and saw a soul that was longing to be filled with the truth and knowledge of Him. He saw a heart eager to know Him, and a heart just as eager to share Him with the same people who scorned her.

I'm so thankful that God acknowledges those that society ignores. He sees in us all that He created us to be. He loves us all. It doesn't matter where we've been, where we're at, or where we're going. He just simply loves us.

Wednesday's devotional found in "Our Daily Bread", reminded me a lot of the story of the Woman of Samaria. If you have the time, it is a wonderful message to read.

It's about an uneducated lay preacher conducting a church service.

It was written by Cindy Hess Kasper; her words are so encouraging. She makes the statement, "Our best may not always measure up to the standards of others. But God takes our inadequacies and humble efforts and uses them for His glory."

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Cindy Hess Harper ends the passage with this quote, "Do what you can where you are with what you have."

To me that sounds exactly like what the Woman of Samaria did. She went where she could, as soon as she could, and she opened her heart and shared what she had just learned with any one who would listen. Then God did the rest.

Last week I showed you a You Tube clip about the Woman of Samaria. The clip I have for you today is the complete scene of this story in the Bible.
As you watch it, thank God that He loves you. Right now, no matter where you are in your life, He loves you. Let that sink in.

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you today.



Thank You, God, for the story of the Woman of Samaria; her desire and willingness to share the news of You with others encourages me. Lord, please help me each day to see others as You see them.