The Samaritan Woman
The first time I heard the story of the Samaritan Woman, I was inspired by her experience with Jesus and how her life changed. The picture we envision of her leads to a painful past filled with disappointment, sadness, and loss of hope, causing a life full of low self esteem. It was so low, in fact, that she hid from everyone. She was judged and hated by every woman in the village. She in turn felt extremely unloved and became very lonely. She looked for love and acceptance in all the wrong places.
Everything changed when she came face to face with Jesus. Jesus showed her something that nobody ever had before. He proved His unconditional love and mercy for her by talking with her and making her feel as though they had known each other forever. She became so excited and on fire for Him that she forgot her water jug by the well and ran through town telling everyone about the Messiah and His love for them, despite how they felt about her.
As women, we want to be loved and accepted. We want to be “wanted.” Jesus gave her that love and acceptance. She overcame her innermost struggles through His unconditional love and turned them into a joy, which she wanted to spread to others. It made her bold and full of courage because she had faith in His ultimate love for her.
What I take away from this story is to never doubt Jesus, even when times are tough and I don’t think I can go on. Jesus extends His grace and forgivenesses to me unconditionally, no matter what I’ve done or how horrible I may feel about myself. He simply loved me.
The Samaritan Woman offered Jesus water to drink from the well, and in return He offered her living water, eternal life. We need to realize that Jesus doesn’t care where we have been. He just wants us to end up loving Him, living for Him, and helping others to live for Him too. All we have to do is open up our hearts and let Him in.
Written by Maddie Miller
Wisdom from Women in the Bible
Heather & Lisa
