She made her way through the streets cautiously, casting furtive glances here and there to make sure that the empty streets would return no disdainful glares from its womenfolk. It was noon and few others would be out in the hot midday sun to get water from the well. This was the safest time for her to go. There would be no whispering tongues or haughty condemning looks.
As she approached the ancient well, however, a stranger was sitting there. By His garb and appearance, she knew instantly that He was a Jew. To her surprise, however, He began conversing with her. The rest, pardon the cliche, is history.
The eye may be biased, but to me, few chapters in our Bible display the moral beauty of Christ to such an extent. The One Who sits on the circle of the earth and is never weary (see Isaiah 40), sat in His weariness at a well: but it was not to indulge His weary body. It was to meet a woman in need. Even His moments of rest and repair were used to further the will of God!
His grace and gentleness overcome barrier after barrier. There was the racial barrier which the woman expected. There was a gender barrier which the disciples had expected. There was the barrier of ritual defilement, drinking from a Samaritan’s vessel, and there was religious bias as to the place of worship. All that was never a factor in His thinking. He saw a soul, a “field white unto harvest,” and He longed to bring her peace and forgiveness. One whom the world discarded as part of its refuse was valued by Him as potential for eternity.
But what value was she? Only a woman! Only a Samaritan! A sordid and tragic past; an empty heart that knew only broken relationships and heartache! He wanted, though, to bring her into a new relationship.
But look at the consequences of her conversion: her heart is filled with joy- no small thing. She leaves her waterpot as she has found something, really Someone, better. But the Savior leaves His food as He has found something better. The will of God has been accomplished and He is feasting. Notice her testimony – an entire city is moved to deep interest, and some to conversion as a result of her testimony.
Ultimately, the greatest result of the encounter at high noon, is that there is another soul in heaven to be an eternal worshiper of the Father (John 4:23). Small thing? Christ thought it of such importance that He must needs go through Samaria, and that He must needs be lifted up.
Every soul reached is another soul gathered in as an eternal worshiper.
