So, Jesus was passing through Samaria. A Jew was passing through an “unclean” place. You would think that if there was truth to the fact that Samaritans were unclean, Jesus would have hustled through there as fast as possible. But He didn’t. Even though it was Samaria, He was tired, so He stopped at Jacob’s well. Soon after, a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. And Jesus spoke to her.
Let’s keep track for a second. He stops in an unclean place, by what can only be considered an unclean well (because Samaritans use it), and now He is talking to an unclean woman! In those days, that was not culturally appropriate. Men did not speak to women they did not know, not if they were respectable and concerned about appearance and image, anyway. But Jesus speaks to her. Not only does He speak to her, He asks her to draw Him a drink. Being willing to drink from something a Samaritan has taken a drink from? Jesus is breaking protocol and religious parameters all over the place.
I’ve often wondered what present-day “religious” practices He would be standing against if He were visibly here among us. I think of some of the things we are so convinced are “right” and “biblical,” and I wonder if He would agree. Would He agree that you can’t take communion until you have gone through a process? Or would He want anyone who loves Him and accepts His sacrifice to participate? Would He say no to baptizing someone because of their age or the length of time they have been saved, or would He dunk them as soon as they indicate their desire? I know I’m likely making some people uncomfortable, and I’m not trying to slander religious practices per se…I just want to make sure we remember that what Jesus was concerned about was far more heart-centred and focused on Him than some of our “right” practices can sometimes be.
The Bible clearly states that Jesus came into this world to save us. Why? Because He loves us. Those fundamental facts, which flow from one another—our need for salvation, His love for us and His desire and ability to save us—are the most important things we can ever concern ourselves with. But I know that’s not always how it feels. And that’s the only reason I raise this point—because I have certainly experienced and witnessed others experiencing condemnation for not following “right” religious practices. I’ve heard from many people that non-conformity to a certain set of religious practices has brought them heaps of judgment and spiritual woundedness. And I just can’t find anywhere in Scripture where Jesus condoned that kind of attitude.
In fact, His whole life was focused on helping people understand there was a better way…His way. That, like it says in Romans 8, we are no longer under the law but are under grace because of Him. Because of His death on the cross. Because He paid the price for us once and for all. Because He showed us that He loves us so much, all else pales in comparison. He has saved us from ourselves, from all our human rules and practices of supposed godliness. All He wants in return is our lives surrendered to Him and what He stood for. Which, as far as I can see, boils down ultimately to His love for us and the fact that love is supposed to compel us to love others in such a pure way that they are drawn to Christ. We are to be so smitten with Him and so altered by His love that others see that and want it too. But that’s hard to do when we are either condemning others or ourselves.
Back to the woman at the well. He spoke to her. But more than that, He spoke to her knowing her deep, dark, not so pretty secrets. She had had five husbands. Not something a devout, practicing Jew would look favourably upon. And also not in line with Jewish values, she was living with a man who was not her husband. The extent to which Jesus was breaking protocol just went through the thatched roof. Talking to a Samaritan woman who was living quite loosely in contrast to Jewish standards. Almighty God loved her enough that He purposely, knowingly and willingly threw all religious and cultural order of the day aside because He was focused on why He came…to show His love to everyone so they could be saved.
According to the rules of her time, if anyone was “deserving” of condemnation, for all intents and purposes that woman was. And more than that, if anyone had the authority to condemn someone for less-than-appropriate behaviour, it would be Jesus. But He didn’t do that. Instead, He did the exact opposite. He conveyed in that interaction that she was worth His time. That she had inherent worth and dignity because she was one of His creation. Jesus offered her grace, mercy, compassion and love. She was worth that much to Him.
So that’s exactly what He did. He told her that He was the Messiah (the Saviour the Jews were waiting for) and He could give her something that would satisfy her “thirst” forever. Him. The answer to the longing in those deep, soulful places. He told her that He indeed knew her lifestyle…but this gift was still available to her. And what happened?
She went running into town to tell others about who she had just met. That there was this guy who she thought was the Messiah because He knew all about her without her telling Him anything. And He offered her the answer to her life’s pain. That got people’s attention, so they sought Jesus out. And pretty soon they believed too. They told the woman that they first believed because of what she said, but after they met Him, they believed because of Him. That’s what happens when you encounter Jesus and His love…you can’t help but be changed by Him, wooed by Him, because of how He is with you. His love is life-changing.
Look at how He was with the Samaritan woman. He didn’t condemn her. He had every right to—remember that. But He didn’t. He didn’t ignore what was wrong, either. He gave the solution to it. That just moves me, and I can’t contain the thankfulness that wells up in me. He loves us enough to not leave us in our mess. He doesn’t turn away because we are a lost cause. He doesn’t shake His head and make us feel shame because we can’t seem to conquer that one bad habit. He doesn’t jab us with a sarcastic barb to shake us out of our misery. He doesn’t make us feel embarrassed in His presence because we are so far from godly.
And He doesn’t make excuses for us, either, so that we can continue to behave in the ways that He knows will end in destruction for us. He labels them for what they are, just like He did with the Samaritan woman. Not in a condemning way, but in a factual way. That’s true love, isn’t it? Loving someone enough to tell them the truth. That’s what Jesus does for us, because He is truth.
Many well-meaning people think the best thing you can do is to show someone who is in a bad spot “tough love.” I have looked high and low through the Bible, and I can’t find any stories where Jesus does this when someone is wounded and needing help. Nor have I found a place where He makes someone feel two inches tall after an interaction with Him. Convicted, yes. Insulted and put down, no. Rather, I find story after story of people healed by Him, set free from sin and evil by Him, encouraged to live differently because of His love and made to see clearly because of the clarity He offers them.
The only time I can ever find a record of Jesus condemning people is when they are saying that they are operating in His name yet are not showing love, not living out the truth. When they are misrepresenting Him. Like the religious leaders of the day who were walking around condemning everyone for not following the rules as well as they were, even though their hearts were hard to those who needed Jesus. Or those who were making a mockery of Him by using His name, His church and His message for their own gain. Specifically, behaviours that don’t accurately represent His love and what He came to do and the purity of faith.
I wonder how He would feel about the way things are today. Would He come across religious leaders today who are misrepresenting Him and His message? Would He be pleased with what He found?
I’d like to touch on one more passage from the Bible that God showed me this morning as I was spending time with Him. He does that often, by the way. He keeps taking me to verses and Bible passages that fit perfectly with the part of the book I am working on or a part that I know is to come. It always blesses me when that happens, because I know that means His hand is on this project. But I share that with you so you can be blessed as well, because what it also means is that He led me to write about it because He wants it for you, too. Because He loves you.
Jude is just a one-chapter book of the Bible, right before Revelation. In verse 24, it says, “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great