The Woman at the Well

A Church for the City Devotional

John 4:39-42

“The woman at the well” has become a phrase to describe that type of person. Someone who lives a promiscuous and unsavory lifestyle. When we read this account, that is often the descriptor we attribute to this poor woman. While it is true that she was living in a sinful way, I would like to challenge us to view her as an evangelist. An evangelist is someone who shares the Good News with those around them.

One of our cultural values at Church for the City is that no matter what; we speak life, we give hope. This is exactly what Jesus did when He encountered her at the well. He didn’t shame her, and He didn’t give her a three-point sermon on how to be a better Christian. He spoke to her about living water and she immediately wanted to live a life that honored the Lord.

She went back to the village, where she was no doubt a pariah, and shared the gospel with those who probably did not want to associate with her. The story of how Jesus transformed her heart was so powerful that “many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said” (v. 39).

What an incredible testimony! To go from a shameful existence to preaching the gospel is truly the kind of revolution that Jesus is looking for in our lives. I have a friend who says, “They can deny the stories of Jesus all they want, but they can’t deny the change in your lifestyle”. Let us show those around us that Jesus is the one true God by the way we engage with others: by speaking life and giving hope.

Jesus, please open our eyes to those who need to hear a message of hope. Please use us to offer life-giving words to those who are hurting. Thank you for having mercy on me, a sinner, and thank you for transforming our lives. Amen.