Now he had to go through Samaria (John 4:4, NIV).
So the story of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman begins. He had to go. He was doing His Father’s business meeting with this woman. A woman who lived in a place that no Jew would willingly go. A woman Jews would never bother with because of her heritage. A woman whose theology was all wrong. A woman who had had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Everything was against her as far as the Jews were concerned. But Jesus had to go through Samaria. He had to sit down at that well. He had to ask her for a drink. He had to talk with her, because that was His Father’s business. His Father cared for her, so Jesus cared for her.
If you are really about the Father’s business, He is going to lead you to people like the Samaritan woman. It means you will be taken to some uncomfortable places, that you will have to leave your comfort zone, and that you will have to love people who are messed up, hurt, and broken.
Sometimes these encounters bear fruit that is easy to see relatively quickly, as in the story of the Samaritan woman. Other times, it can be a long haul before the fruit of your love and witness becomes visible.
For the last seven months, I have been “sitting at the well” with Michelle Styles. She has had more than her share of crap. She was born deaf. She was gang raped when she was 14 and almost died from the assault. She was pregnant from the attack and decided to have the baby, which lead to rumors and verbal abuse by friends at school (whore, slut). Nightmares every night. A suicide attempt by falling from a cliff when she was 15. Struggles with an addiction to cutting. And last week attempted suicide again, trying to stab herself in the heart. (Aren’t you glad you have your problems now? They look pretty good don’t they!) She also is a person whom many Christians would not want to touch with a ten-foot pole, since she is a practicing bisexual who lives with her girlfriend and boyfriend.
Is she really any different than the woman Jesus sat with at Jacob’s well back in the day? I don’t think so. If we are not willing to walk with people like Michelle I have to wonder if we are just talking the talk and not walking the walk. If our faith is just talk, it is not real faith. Christianity is about living for God through Christ, not talking about God and Christ. If there is no walk, the talk—however good and biblically sound it might seem—means nothing.
Now, I know this is an extreme example I have given here. I am not saying that God plans to lead you to actively bisexual-ex-stripper-suicide survivors-suffering from traumatic PTSD. What I am saying, is that the story of the Samaritan woman was not meant to be unique, it was not meant to be a one-time event. It was meant to be an example, an example of what we are supposed to do when God leads us to our “Samaritan woman.”
As for me, I have committed to walking with her. I believe the Father loves her and cares for her, so if I would be an obedient son as Jesus is, then I will love and care for her too. God has done a lot with her in the last seven months; and truth be told, He has done a lot for me through this friendship as well. I cannot say it has always been easy, but I can say—without reservation—that it is worth it.
Do the same. You’ll be glad you did.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 
As someone that regularly sits with many woman at the well on the red light districts in Brazil, I am constantly amazed at how many Christians are so terrified of sin. But Jesus was never intimidated by ANY sin. Why? Because He really knew that He was what the lost were longing for! So many would live differently if they REALLY believed that He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.
We are seeing girls set free from prostitution, sex trafficking and a life of violent abuse. They are dreaming again! They are learning how to be little girls again. It is so worth stepping out of my comfort zone everyday.
Jesus got down into the dirt and loved us right there. In our encounter with Him we are aware of our filthiness and it is His kindness that cleans us and leads us to repentance.
Consistant love is a powerful tool in transformation. It is effective in every situation. It is perfect love that casts out all fear. Love never fails!
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Rachael, thank you so much for this comment! You are exactly right. Sin is not something we need to treat like cooties or some infectious disease. God’s grace is greater than anything we might see. And more often than not, the way He choses to deliver that grace is through the love and care and compassion of His people.
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I am finally seeing the little girl who died that day. I know god lead my hand to get me here. Here in this hospital with these doctors. I know he saved my life and I missed my heart. I know he has done so much. He sent me an angle who ended my nightmares. He has guided everything for me to get here and get better.
I will never be who I was before my life went to hell, but I’ve learned with a steady hand from several fathers including a spiritual father in pastor Dan that I don’t have to live in the hell. I see the beauty of the world again. My pain is coming to an end and I can see some things much clearer.
The angel keeps the nightmares away at night, I focus on getting better in the day. God watches, guides and smiles down on me. I will always see the cracks of my past but now they remind daily that I live because my heavenly father loves me.
I’m not perfect and I’ve some time to go before I am out of the psych ward on a more sustained basis. But I am getting better and stronger because he cared enough to put me here.
One thing I’ve learned. God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we had hoped. But he always answers them in the way that we need. We just have to be aware that he answered them at all. Most can’t see it. I didn’t see it until he sent the angel. It took that for this broken girl to see. Now I look for the smallest answer because I don’t want to miss and be ungrateful for the answers he sends.
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Thanks for your comments my friend. I bet it is tough to read about yourself in this post. You really have come so far. I’m very very proud of you.
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She has come a very long way. There is still more to do. But with recent events I am hopeful the healing is closer because there are fewer reminders, and fewer worries. Thanks for walking with her.
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Always.
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