Encountering Christ: The Woman at the Well

Shonda Mcbride
Mar 23
3 min read

Updated: Apr 7

A Journey of Redemption and Love

Shamed and disgraced, the woman at the well faced ridicule and misunderstanding. She drew water in the heat of the day to avoid the gossip of the villagers. But everything changed the day Jesus, weary from His journey, waited for her at the well.

When she arrived, Jesus engaged her in a conversation that was revolutionary for the time. Jews typically avoided Samaritans, and rabbis wouldn’t even speak to their own wives in public. Yet, Jesus not only approached her but also initiated a deep conversation about her spiritual needs (Guzik, 2023).

The Living Water

The woman was focused on her physical needs. She longed for living water so she wouldn’t have to return to the well in shame, day after day. To help her recognize her spiritual thirst, Jesus confronted her sin.

In John 4:16, Jesus says, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman replied, “I have no husband.” Jesus responded, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true” (English Standard Version).

The scriptures do not explain why she had been divorced five times. However, it was customary for men to issue a certificate of divorce for various reasons, including uncleanliness or failure to fulfill duties (Blue Letter Bible, 2016). Jesus also taught in Matthew 5:32 that “everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery.”

When I reflect on the woman Jesus sought, I see someone who has never truly been loved. Like many of us, she searched for love in all the wrong places. Yet, the only one who can fulfill our deepest desires with pure, unconditional love is Jesus, the Messiah.

A Transformative Encounter

John 4:28 tells us, “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’”

In that moment, the Samaritan woman realized she had encountered Christ. The water she thought she needed became irrelevant. Overjoyed, she confronted her shame and shared her experience with the villagers. She didn’t say, “Come see the man who told me how to worship,” or “who asked me for a drink.” Instead, she exposed her sin, and they listened! To an outcast woman, they listened. That’s the power of an encounter with Christ!

Jesus loved her so deeply that He waited for her in undesirable conditions. He confronted her sin without shaming or judging her. Instead, He opened her eyes to the one true love that could heal her. She was filled with joy, and her shame was broken.

The Impact of Jesus's Love

Jesus's love overwhelms me. It saves lives—here, now, and forever. I can only imagine how the Samaritan woman's life transformed after this encounter.

This story prompts me to ask, “Have you ever sought love in the wrong places, leading to shame? If so, do you know the one who loves you so much that He gave His life to break your shame and be with you forever?”

Reflecting on Our Roles

Who are you in this story? Are you like Jesus, stepping out of your comfort zone to seek and save the lost? Are you one of the villagers, judging the Samaritan woman self-righteously? Or perhaps you are the Samaritan woman, walking in freedom after encountering the living God? He loves us and seeks us. Do you perceive Him?

Praise be to God for sending Jesus in the flesh to seek and save the lost. May we walk in freedom and boldly testify to what our Savior has done in our lives. Let us also seek to save the lost, knowing that His love for us is demonstrated by taking our shame and nailing it to the cross.