Surprised?

by Ruth Olsen

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And because of his words many more became believers (John 4:41).

Read John 4:27–42

We continue our walk through this chapter, pausing to reflect, to notice some surprises.

The disciples arrived with lunch and were surprised to find Jesus talking with a woman (v27), as she herself had been surprised earlier (v9). Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans, and Jewish religious teachers rarely spoke with women in public. As one commentary says, ‘The words of the Law were to be burnt rather than taught to a woman. A man should not speak in public to his own wife’!

Jesus cuts through these constricting man-made rules to reveal God’s compassion to someone ostracised by society. She, whom society did not value, was highly valued in God’s eyes. That’s what God’s love is like – so different to our human expectations. And the disciples sensed not to confront Jesus about breaking these protocols.

Jesus had been tired earlier (v6), and now he doesn’t partake of the food the disciples brought from the village but says he has other food to eat. When we are in a ministry situation, and sense that God is doing something in that moment, physical food can be far from one’s mind.

Why did many of the Samaritans from that town believe in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony (v39)? Wasn’t she an outcast, collecting water in the middle of the day? And yet her manner and her words were compelling. Wouldn’t the disciples have been perplexed when they saw the woman rushing back to the well accompanied by lots of the townsfolk? God was at work, in unexpected ways.

Jesus was tired, yet he was tuned in to what his Father was doing. Seeing the Father’s heart for an outcast woman, perhaps our surprise can shock us into examining what we let divide us, reflecting the ways of the world instead of the Father’s heart?

 Lord Jesus, help us see our heart-attitudes through your eyes of compassion for people. Father, forgive us. Change our hearts and renew our minds by your Spirit’s power.

Ruth is Steen’s other half, lives in Adelaide, and loves reading. From the Bible, books on Christian living, biographies, especially of someone’s journey of faith, through to Reader’s Digest, the Inquirer section of The Weekend Australian, or travel information etc., many things are opened through reading. That’s also why she enjoys helping Afghani women learn to read and write in English, when they were denied that opportunity with their own language as children.

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