Come, See A Man . . .

Jesus and his Disciples were traveling back to Galilee from Jerusalem through Samaria. It was noon and they were hungry and thirsty so Jesus sent the others into town to get something to eat while he waited at the well to get some water. A woman was there. This was not the usual time women went to the well; mostly that was something they did early in the morning before it got too hot. Jesus asked her for a drink.

She immediately became confrontational: "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. You shouldn't even be talking to me."

He responded in a similar tone: "If you had asked, I could give you water that will refresh your soul."

She said, "You don't have anything to put water in. You can't even get it."

"I'm talking about a different kind of water, water of eternal life," he said. "Call your husband and I will share with both of you."

"I have no husband. I don't have anyone to call."

"Well, now you are telling the truth. You have had five husbands and the man you live with now is not even married to you." He spoke the facts without accusation.

The information he recited about her opened her eyes and she recognized that he was a prophet. He spoke of the place to worship, and of salvation, and of the Spirit, and of Truth. She knew the truth of the coming Messiah. Jesus declared, "I am he."

She left her water jar and ran to tell the people in the town who he was. Her testimony was compelling. They followed her urging to "come see a man who told me all I ever did." She was convinced and thrilled to hear him and understand the wonders he told her. She learned where and how to worship. She learned the meaning of "water for her soul." She learned the value of her own witness. 

And when she went home, she knew the meaning of salvation.