The account of the Samarian woman by the well of water shows something quite important to take note of. Jesus met with the woman with the intention of giving her something she had never experienced. Even though she knew there was a Messiah who was going to come, she never had an understanding of how He was going to be revealed. Perhaps she was expecting someone who would come with so much power and wealth. So, seeing a man standing alone by the well side is totally not a consideration.
“Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink” John4:7
The woman was surprised because a Jew would not ask a Samaritan for anything as they don’t even have anything in common. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews. But Jesus responded to her that if only she knew the gift of God, she would have asked Him for some living water. Jesus was speaking about something beyond the physical water but this woman could not pick it. The whole intention of Jesus was to minister life to her; make her a follower.
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Jesus went ahead to display the supernatural to her by revealing to the woman all that has been happening with her marital life and at this point she knew there was something beyond the natural about Jesus. This was an experience beyond normal. It would only take a prophet or someone higher than a prophet to know this about her. Immediately she said Jesus must be a prophet and further asked for clarity on some spiritual matters. Jesus was beginning to get her attention, however, His intention was to make her a disciple and not really about the display of the supernatural. In response to the expositions done by Jesus, the woman replied:
“… “well, at least I know that the Messiah will come- the one they call Christ- and when he does, he will explain everything to us” v25
The messiah was in front of her trying to talk her into seeing the reality of the prophecies she had known, however, it was difficult for the woman to understand what Jesus was trying to say because she only saw Jesus as a Jew. Jesus then declared to her that He is the Messiah.
On hearing that He is the Messiah and having seen His disciples return to Jesus who probably demonstrated that Jesus was the Messiah through the way they must have addressed Him or in greetings, she took off to the village with that experience about Jesus being the Messiah.
Now, she hadn’t partaken from the living water Jesus was offering her, she only had a taste of the experience leading to that. It became more confusing how she began to testify of who she had not really experienced on a deeper level. She only saw His works and not the man working out her own life.
“Then the woman left her waterpot beside the well and went back to the villahe and told everyone, “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! CAN THIS BE THE MESSIAH?” John 4:30
Her testimony was filled with doubt because she only experienced the works of God and not the person of Jesus. There is more to what Jesus intended to do in her and not just a display of power but making her life a root of power by the water that never runs dry. The intention of Jesus was giving her the living water, but she never asked for how to go about getting the living water in the face of the excitement of the display of what the living water could do.
Her testimony brought people to Jesus truly but those her testimony brought could only believe after they experienced Jesus themselves and not based on her experience which wasn’t compelling enough. Immediately these people heard Jesus and knew He was truly the messiah, they asked that Jesus stay with them for two days. That was exactly what it means to have a full grasp. Then they said to the woman:
“Now we believe because we have heard Him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Saviour of the World” V42
What a difference! Can you see the two testimonies? One was of doubt and the other was a strong affirmation of Jesus as the Messiah.
What has God opened you up to and you are in haste to get it out to the world? There is a place of abiding, being patient for the testimony to be full. Those who wait have accurate testimony and they are the true disciples. Don’t just run when He is still working on you to show to the world what He wants to through you. Jesus only sought how to offer her the living water but she was overwhelmed with the display of God’s power.
Don’t be carried away with the excitement of wanting people to hear about what God is doing in you. Receive it with joy, however, abide before proceeding to testifying.
His Excitement should lead you to His feet first and not to the world. From sitting at His feet, you will be effective in the world
Stay in the place of being made fully. Let your testimony mature.
Be Innovated
Olufemi Ibitoye
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