After Jesus satisfactorily answered the Samaritan woman’s question about the rift between Jews and Samaritans, she showed that she was one of those who eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah.
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!” John 4:25-26 (NLT)
Principle: Look for Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Work
When a disciple of Christ begins a conversation with someone he or she has never met, it is something like opening a long buried treasure chest. What is in it? That is one of the things that makes fishing for people a most interesting occupation.
Going into an encounter, we do not know how God may have already been working in a person’s life, but our hope is that God will lead us to those he has already been preparing to receive the gospel.
It is obvious from the passage above that the Samaritan woman had been thinking about and longing for the coming of the Messiah. She was more than ready to meet and believe in Jesus. She just did not realize at first to whom she was speaking.
When a fisherman leaves home for a day on the water, he or she anticipates catching a big one. We know they are “out there.” That’s what makes it fun. Will God privilege us to meet someone like the woman at the well? I am convinced they are “out there.” We only need to find them, and the Holy Spirit knows exactly who they are. Don’t forget that she was a most unlikely person. We dare not judge people superficially. Only God knows the heart.
We should pray daily for the Spirit to orchestrate encounters like the one Jesus had at the well.
We should also prepare ourselves mentally to be alert when such opportunities present themselves. Jesus could have simply sat there in weariness, but he engaged this woman. We must also be alert to using the gifts of the Spirit. They are not just for church meetings. Lastly, we should prepare far ahead of time by thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with the gospel message. Don’t waste your opportunities!
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