Read John 4:1-42. No, don’t keep reading this. Come back
to this, after, you’ve opened your Bible and read John 4. Thank you for
doing that. The Samaritan woman is alone, apart from the community of women
doing daily chores together. She lives with a man who wouldn’t even honor her
with marriage. Five others have divorced or widowed her. The Samaritan woman
lives with deep hurt, real pain. First century society collectively agreed to
cast out women in her situation, through no fault of their own.
In John, it is to her, not the disciples nor the temple
or synagogue leaders, but to this Samaritan woman that Jesus announces
his identity: the Messiah (4:26). In Mark’s gospel, Jesus is secretive about
who he really is (1:34; 3:12). Scholars refer to his tendence, in Mark, to avoid
disclosures of his true identity as the “Messianic secret.” That’s in Mark. In
John, Jesus announces to a “rejected woman” the Messiahship he keeps secret in
Mark.
She is not rejected by Jesus. But she does know pain. Do
you? Are there people in your life who know the kind of pain the Samaritan
woman carried, the pain of a damaged reputation, of being reduced in society’s
eyes, of being an outcast? Do you know someone in that kind of pain?
Make space for that person because he or she needs Jesus
as much as the Samaritan woman did. The church is the body of Christ in the
world today. The church needs to show hurting people what the love of Christ
can do for their lives.
Lent is upon us. Easter is seven weeks away. (1) Make
space for someone’s pain in your life. (2) Extend to them the same dignity and
grace Jesus gave the Samaritan woman. (3) Commit to prayer for 40 days; in this
time prayer lift up that person you know who is hurting so badly. Also, bring
your own pain to Jesus and receive the healing he gives.
