Hello Greatness,

Happy new year beautiful people of God. Gosh, I need help with consistency. I write every time but get pretty lazy when it comes to posting. Do you think I need an assistant? If yes, who wants to volunteer? I pray to remember to come here at least twice a month…. hen maybe even once a month.

Let’s delve into a quick study about the Samaritan woman in John 4. My study brings out important points about the power of testimony, the transformative nature of encounters with Christ, and the significance of God’s perspective on individuals.

The Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus breaks through societal norms and prejudices. Her willingness to engage in a conversation with Jesus, her confidence in asserting her identity, and her ability to share her testimony play crucial roles in bringing others to believe in Jesus. It highlights the idea that God sees beyond our flaws and recognizes our potential.

Her testimony, or should I say her story, is striking because of its unbelievable elements. It goes to show how God looks past certain things when He wants to use someone. Basically, you are not a lost cause.

How is it possible that she was able to turn the whole city to Christ, especially considering the historical animosity between Jews and Samaritans? If you’ve read about this animosity in the Bible, you would know they shouldn’t have even listened. Yet they did. We are vessels used to amplify the goodness of God.

That woman had been married five times. I mean, she went through five men. As if that was not enough, she had one more she was staying with who she wasn’t married to at the time. How come the woman, who should’ve been seen as a lost cause and judged as unrighteous or bad, was able to bring people to Christ?

I think we should also consider how she was able to get more than five men to marry her. You could say she must’ve been a pretty woman. So yeah, it’d have been easy to convince the men. Well, wouldn’t that mean she was a threat to the other women? How come they were willing to listen to her?

I mean, all she kept repeating was, “Come see a man who told me all that I ever did.” I think I would refrain from being in a gathering like that. I wouldn’t want someone airing my dirty laundry. Yet, these people followed the woman. What’s more striking is that she was talking about yet another man. Do you remember the story of the adulterous woman in John 8? How come people weren’t criticizing this woman but were willing to follow her?

I feel like I’ve asked more questions than I’ve provided answers so far. But I needed to walk you through my thought process before we get to the main point.

I was wondering what Jesus saw in the woman. But then, that’s a question we all have to ask ourselves. What does God see when He looks at us? When He asked the woman for water at the well and engaged her in a conversation, He noticed she was smart. She wasn’t rude or scared. She faced a challenge head-on. She didn’t have to cower in fear because a man was at the well, a Jew, no less.

Someone else might have fled or sent Him away. She stayed and confronted Him. Like hello, you have the effrontery to ask me for water. I know you think your people are all that because you worship in Jerusalem, but you see this well and this water you’re asking for, this is our right. It was passed down from generations to us. I can even tell you it was our ancestor, Jacob, that dug this well. Even though she might be suffering from a bit of backlash from the community, she was a woman well grounded in her identity. “I have a right, and I’m going to stand by it.“

I guess what I’m trying to say is, Jesus saw her and looked past her wrongs. He saw potential in her and was able to draw out a personality that was hidden somewhere. That woman was secure, confident, had her identity, and must have been persuasive. How else was she able to convince a whole city that Jesus is the Messiah?

Look at John 4:39,

"Many from the Samaritan village became believers in Jesus because of the woman's testimony: 'He told me everything I ever did!'"

I’ve come to realize that we all don’t have to be preachers, nor Christian influencers with content creation. We don’t have to be writers or people with big words to let others know about Christ. Our testimonies are enough to let someone know who Jesus is. The simplicity of the Samaritan woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did,” speaks volumes and transcends cultural biases. How come those few words were enough to get Samaritans to believe that a Jew is the Messiah? Her testimony cut through their bias. Each person’s story is a powerful tool to share the transformative work of Christ.

Now, one other thing I want to point out is this – our testimonies are nothing without God. Those people were able to come to Jesus through what she said, but because their hearts were ready. Do your part and let the Holy Spirit do His work of conviction. Trust in the Holy Spirit’s work and recognize that not everyone may instantly believe, but our responsibility is to be faithful messengers.

Also, God will use you, regardless of your background. All God needs is your willing heart and your availability to be used. Planting seeds, watering, and ultimately relying on God for growth is a beautiful depiction of the partnership between believers and God in spreading His message.

"I (Paul) planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow." - I Corinthians 3:6

Jesus, in his interaction with the Samaritan woman, didn’t merely highlight her errors, nor did he dwell on the Samaritans’ misconceptions about worshiping God. Instead, he focused on building upon what she already knew. Although she was aware that the well was built by Jacob, Jesus promised to provide a different kind of water that would sustain her for life. This emphasizes that God utilizes your existing knowledge and constructs upon it. God cannot be confined to a box, and His capabilities are limitless. He reaches you in ways that surpass your expectations, always meeting you right where you are.

With all my love,

Mz_Ola