Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:7-9 NLT
These two people at the well were so very different. Jesus was a superior man. She was a woman, culturally viewed as inferior. He was a religious leader, righteous and virtuous. She was at the bottom of society, known for her past mistakes. He was a Jew; she was a mixed-race Samaritan, looked down upon and rejected by the Jews. But here they were at the well together. She came in the heat of the day; at a time she expected to find no one there. This was her practice to avoid the all too frequent shunning and ridicule. To her wonderment and surprise, Jesus offered the Samaritan woman the gifts of attention, dignity, and worth by crossing cultural and gender boundaries. As she got the courage to look into His clear eyes, she realized this man was like no one she had ever before met. He saw her as a person with worth rather than a label that minimized her. Jesus initiated a vulnerable conversation, listened with full attention and without condemnation, and showed confidence in her as He told her the truth in love. By the time the conversation was over, she realized she had met the Messiah! This experience began a transformation that elevated her to a credible messenger who attracted her whole village to come to hear Jesus. Jesus was able to effectively serve people who were very different from Him because He acted on the knowledge that every individual holds immense, God-given value. We serve best when we approach every person with the desire and intention to love them as Jesus would, and when we offer the gifts Jesus gave to the people He met.
We can give attention by being fully present and overcoming our assumptions and prejudices. In the heat of the day Jesus gave His full attention, putting aside distractions like His own hunger to listen and share. We give attention when we focus and truly listen. He saw past her heritage, gender, and mistakes. We can give up our judgments and see the image of God in everyone. We can give dignity by lowering ourselves to lift others. Jesus asked a marginalized woman to help Him with a drink. He humbled Himself and indebted Himself to her. We build dignity when we ask for the help and perspectives of others who are overlooked and don’t insist on maintaining the upper hand as the “helper.” Speaking with grace, gentleness, and respect, without condemnation, is the Jesus way. We can give worth by valuing the marginalized, the ones others may see as unworthy. Like Jesus, we can intentionally reach out to the lonely and the overlooked. When we see with the eyes of Jesus, we see tremendous potential and it may very well lead to total transformation. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life and community. Who knows what God will do with the person you value, lift, and empower?
- When we love and serve like Jesus, we speak life and spread grace.