When Jesus engaged the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he demonstrated a very important principle for ministering to people.
He [Jesus] had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:4-8 (NLT)
Jesus was on the way to a specific ministry destination, but opportunities to minister to people often present themselves as we are “on the way”.
Ministry to people should happen wherever we are, not just in a building at a set time on Sunday.
Jesus broke with religious tradition at several places in this account of his interaction with the woman from Samaria. The focus of this gospel snapshot is that he engaged her in conversation, regardless of whether others might consider it appropriate. In fact, its apparent inappropriateness was the initial reason the woman became interested. Was Jesus just another man trying to “pick her up,” or was this something else? Being extremely thirsty, Jesus had a genuine need and asked for her help.
No matter how we start a conversation, unless we actually talk to people, we are never going anywhere ministry wise.
If we learn nothing else from this passage, make it a practice to engage people around you. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to do this. If we are genuinely interested in them and their lives, there is no telling where a conversation may lead. Jesus’ unplanned conversation with this woman led to the entire village believing that Jesus is the Messiah! Where will the Spirit take us if we make it our practice to engage people?
