John 4: 3- 26; 39-42

Jesus was on his way to Galilee through Samaria. In Samaria, He was near a well that was given by Jacob to his son, Joseph. Jesus sat by the well as He had a tiring journey and just then a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink and the Samaritan woman became a little puzzled as Jews would have no dealings with Samaritans. Just at that moment Jesus revealed to this woman about Himself as the ‘living water’. The woman did not understand what exactly Jesus meant. She probably just knew about Jacob and believed Jacob was a great man and not knowing the source of Jacob’s being a great man.

Jesus told her about the living water which would give them everlasting life. She still didn’t understand. It is quite common that she couldn’t understand as she had no idea about Him. Isaiah 55:1 also calls all the thirsty towards the Living water but unless and until we taste it we wouldn’t understand.

Jesus calls each one of us to the Living water. He doesn’t discriminate us on the basis of caste or character. He gives everyone an equal chance. He didn’t bother that he was a Jew and he was giving a chance to the Samaritan woman. God reveals the same to Peter in his vision in Acts 10: 28. We may be the lowest in our community but in the eyes of God we are equal. He is indeed a Just God.

Jesus also does not distinguish based on our character. If we read further from verse 16 we see that God asked her to bring her husband along and she told Him that she didn’t have a husband. As a reply to this Jesus told her that she spoke truly and that she didn’t have a husband now but that she had five husbands before and that the one with whom she was living was not her husband. On hearing this a common man’s reaction would be such that what a woman is she!! And we would all be hurling curses at her. But Jesus didn’t do that, He gave her a chance to know the Living God. We may have had a past which might be degrading but when we acknowledge it in front of God, He gives us an opportunity to taste the Living water.

This Samaritan woman went ahead and told the others about Jesus and the people believed in Him. Later on, people started believing because of the Word and knew that He is the Messiah. In our lives too, once we get to know God we are to go ahead and tell the others about Him just as Paul does after he knows the Messiah in Acts 9:20. Moreover, we are a chosen generation, the royal priesthood and a holy nation…who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Peter 2: 9-10.

God gives this grace to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, color, character or anything. Our God is a Just God. He gives us opportunities and it is up to us to accept them and carry over.