“The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you — I am he.”
Jesus is talking to a woman at a water well who is so low on the social ladder that she gets water in the heat of the day. She prefers to come when no one else is there, as to not endure the judgement of “religious” folks who live nearby.
The clarity and compassion of Jesus’ answer is noteworthy. By studying His conversations with high-ranking officials, we see that Jesus answers questions in a complex manner if your motive for asking is your own advancement, or to argue a point. But here, He plainly responds to the true heart of a broken sinner seeking to know Him.
It is interesting to compare the world’s opinion of this wayward woman to the lofty reputation of Herod and Pilate… and see the difference in the way Jesus responded to each. God’s ways are not only different than ours, they’re often completely opposite. When God says the first will be last, and the servant will be the master… He actually means it.
Do I believe that? If I do, then why do I focus on powerful wealthy people and disregard those who have little worldly influence? Even in the church, there is a tendency to fawn over those high on the societal scale, which contrasts with Jesus’ actions in this passage.
Think about your last interaction with what the world calls a successful person and compare it to the last time you spoke to someone who was homeless. Even if you said the right words, examine your heart in those two conversations…. Do you and Jesus agree on the importance of these individuals, or do you have it backwards? Are you seeking “first the Kingdom of God” … or has that fallen to second place, behind networking with those who can help you build your own little kingdom?
Decide today to view people through Jesus’ eyes. Otherwise, you may find yourself investing your time in people who care only for themselves and missing great relationships with those who will be first in the Kingdom of God.
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” - Malcolm Forbes
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