Joel M Bradshaw

7A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”–John 4 

When you read this section of John you learn that this woman’s story was a broken relationship mess and that men like Jesus normally kept their distance from that mess.

I think the most helpful way to read her story is to see yourself as her. Each one of us on our own is trapped in our selfishness. We are hypocrite messes left in ourselves with no eternal hope. We run from facing ourselves and rarely are honest with others about our addictions to ourselves. We fear that if others really knew us that they would keep their distance. In a way, the woman at the well is stronger than many of us. She doesn’t hide from Jesus.

And Jesus intentionally brought her into his story and made his story part of hers. He gave her hope and in her depression wrote a new story for her to tell. If Jesus never invited the messy then he would always be by himself.

I love seeing the humble and repentant turn to Jesus and start to see their broken messy stories being used for His glory. It literally is the best possible feeling. As a care pastor these are the people who make the greatest support group leaders. And I see so many long to serve this Jesus who not only invited them, but gave a new story of hope and purpose to their mess. That s my personal story, as well. How about you?–JMB