The sun was bright and hot. The empty clay jars signified that it was time to draw some water. The woman gracefully balanced the jar on her head and started her journey to the well. Her strides long, her steps dainty. She recalled all the stories she had been told in her childhood about the well. This is the one Jacob, father of the Israelites dug. How lucky she must be to be named among God’s chosen people. The Jews cannot be right about worshipping God in Jerusalem, right?
Lost in thought, she did not realize she had almost reached her destination. A man sat on the well, “Oh he’s a Jew”, she thought. “He better not ask me for water”
She walked to the other side of the well and placed her jar down ready to draw water.
“Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her
She could not believe her ears. She turned. Hands on her hip, eyebrows raised and waving her fingers, she asked,
“How is it that you, a Jew ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
Let us pause a little. To understand the context better, we’ll have to go back into history to learn about the feud between the Israelites and the Samaritans.
After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into two- the Northern and Southern kingdoms. The south (Judah) with its capital in Jerusalem and the North (Israel) with its capital in Samaria. Both kingdoms had several idolatrous kings. The North was eventually defeated by the Assyrians and most of its inhabitants were exiled. New groups of people settled there. This caused a mixture of beliefs of the remaining Israelites and the new people which is believed to have given rise to the Samaritan faith.
The Jews (of the South) believe in the law and the prophets, but the Samaritans only believe in the law (five books of Moses).
The Jews worship in the temple at Jerusalem but the Samaritans worship on Mount Gerazim.
The Jews are said to despise the Samaritans more than even the Gentiles (pagans) because they (Samaritans) have strayed away from the truth. That’s how bad it was, guys. Let's continue.
She continued the conversation, asking a bunch of questions till she was convinced that Jesus was a man of God.
“Sir,” the woman replied, ‘I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped in this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is Jerusalem.”
Now let's take a look at this woman’s backstory.
First and foremost, she was a Samaritan. That's bad.
Secondly, she was a woman.
This makes the situation worse. Women were the lowest ranking in society. It is said that some religious leaders didn’t even want to be seen talking to their wives in public. So Jesus talking to a woman was enough to raise some brows.
Number three, she has had five marriages in the past. This makes it even "worserrr".
According to the law, only the husband can divorce the wife. So, for a woman to have had to face rejection from a spouse more than once tells us a lot about how society treated her and how hard she might have been on herself.
Usually women in those times, draw water in the mornings when the temperature is cool. They go in groups of friends. This was not the case with this woman, she left in the afternoon and was alone. This shows a lot about how even fellow women treated her.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from this woman, it's her ability to ask questions. As simple as it may seem, this is one trait many of us have not harnessed. The last question we presume a woman with a sketchy life is supposed to ask is not one about theological matters. She could have asked whether there was a chance of her gaining marital settlement or acceptance in the community but no.
She was like, “Eheerh, since you are a prophet, what do you think about us worshipping on Mount Gerazim and you Jews worshipping in Jerusalem?”
That’s not a question you expect from a five-time divorcee right?
This goes to show that even though she was tagged as a dishonourable woman, she still had a willingness to know more about her God. The speed with which she asked those questions showed that they had been on her mind for a while and probably didn’t get any answers or was too afraid to ask them.
The problem with a lot of us is that we don’t ask questions. Usually, we don’t have any questions because we haven’t taken initiatives to know God intimately. The scope of His person is so vast that having questions is a very appropriate response. Christian culture is also to blame for this We have been socialized to think that asking God questions is the same as questioning God. The former is for making enquiries and the latter for making accusations.
Jesus however was more than ready to give her answers. His conversation with her is the longest to be recorded in the Bible. She was the first person to spread the news of the Messiah to other people- the first evangelist. For someone with a lot of issues, she has some big achievements under her belt.
We ask questions not because God is wrong but because we are too flawed and finite to understand His plans. Sometimes, the answer is detailed, sometimes just one word, “GO”, “YES”, “NO” or nothing at all.
One thing we can learn is that Jesus has all the answers and He will answer all questions here on earth or one day in heaven when we see him. We might not even have to ask him then because everything will make sense as Paul said in 1 Cor 13:12b, now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.
Ask God the how, the when, the why and, the who of your purpose.
Ask Him to open your eyes to the mysteries of His Word. So that when people ask you why you believe what you believe, you can give reasons.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect - 1 Peter 3:15
In situations where you feel stuck, ask Him questions. We are blessed with spiritual leaders to guide us in this regard but even in circumstances where they do not have the answers, God always has what we need.
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