Going to the Well (Reflections on Lent 3, Year A 2023)

 

“For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’” (John 4:37) 

If you wanted to cruise chicks in Bible times, there’s no better place to meet them than at the village well. A smooth-talking guy could do pretty good for himself by hanging out at the local water hole, just waiting for the girls to show up. Abraham’s servant found a wife for Isaac at the well, Jacob met Rachel at a well (and put the moves on her there, too!), and Moses first set eyes on Zipporah at a well. Even today, in much of the developing world, women and girls are the ones sent to the wells to fetch water for their families. 

(Brief digression: that last part really sucks. In places where water is extremely scarce, a journey to the well—or several journeys over the course of the day—keeps many girls out of school. Every time I read this passage from John’s gospel I am reminded of water insecurity in much of the world and the devastating effect that has on women and girls. If you turned on your tap this morning and clean, drinkable water came out, I hope you know how lucky you are!) 

In our gospel lesson for Lent 3, Year A (John 4:5-42), Jesus is on his way from the Judean countryside back to Galilee. He, his disciples, and John the Baptist have been baptizing folks like crazy, and the Pharisees are starting to sniff around. Whether Jesus is trying to avoid a clash with the Pharisees or he just feels that John the B has everything under control down in Judea, the Bible doesn’t tell us. All we know is he’s headed up north again, and to get there he has to go through Samaria. 

John our evangelist makes a pretty big deal pointing out that Jews and Samaritans aren’t exactly on the friendliest of terms. In fact, the two groups can’t stand each other. That’s what makes this passage in the John’s gospel so cool. Here’s Jesus in Samaria, all tuckered out from his long walk and baptizing marathon, just resting by the town well while his guys go off to the local Wawa or wherever to get lunch. He’s just standing there, minding his own business, when a Samaritan lady comes up to get water and he does the rather unthinkable thing of talking to her. This would be a big no-no for a couple of reasons. First, she’s an unescorted woman, and approaching her without her husband or male relative present is s breach of Middle Eastern etiquette. Secondly, the gal’s a Samaritan, someone who is ritually unclean in the eyes of Jews. And Jesus is a Jew. 

But Jesus didn’t come to fight the culture war. He’s a pretty radically loving, inclusive guy, and so he starts a conversation. It is, in fact, the longest conversation he has with anyone in the Bible. 

So what’s this all about? Personally, I see this woman’s chat with Jesus as a little model of the new evangelism. Some of us may be lamenting the way the churches of our childhood seem to be emptying out, but this encounter with Christ is going to be the way the Church moves forward. Just notice a couple of things here: 

First, the Samaritan lady isn’t an insider. She’s not part of the established religious group. Almost a third of Americans surveyed don’t have any connection to organized religion, and may, like a Samaritan reacting to a Jew, be pretty suspicious of it. But Jesus asks for water. He gives this woman an opportunity to do an act of service for a stranger, and, through involving her in this act of charity, opens the door for a frank talk about religious faith. 

Second, Jesus does the culturally correct thing of asking the woman to fetch her husband. Some folks might take umbrage at a local gal standing at the well talking with a strange dude in broad daylight. They might not think it’s proper. So? Jesus asks her to do the thing which will make the conversation safe. Note he doesn’t judge her for having had five guys in her life. We don’t know why she’s been married that many times. Maybe she was widowed five times or had husbands who were abusive or unfaithful or just changed their minds about her. Women didn’t have a whole heck of a lot of power, so we can’t just assume she’s a slut. Jesus’ embrace of the outsider is culturally sensitive, safe, and non-judgmental. 

Third, this lady really is curious about religious matters. Jesus meets her where she is. He’s not pushing an agenda. He’s loyal to his doctrine by saying the Jews have kept the faith of Abraham, but he doesn’t say that Jews are better than Samaritans. The piddly little differences about where one is supposed to worship are, ultimately, inconsequential. God is only looking for true worshipers—people of honest, loving hearts who love God and love others. Jew or Samaritan doesn’t matter. 

The really cool thing about this story is this unnamed lady becomes the New Testament’s first evangelist. She likes what she’s learned about this Jesus guy, so she goes and tells her friends, and they come to know Jesus, too. Jesus sowed the seed, but she reaped the harvest. 

And that, my dears, is how we’re going to go forward. We’ve got before us in the US a whole field of folks who are outside the church and know precious little about the Christian faith (and what they do know—or think they know—they may not even like). Let’s find a way to get them involved in mission. There are other folks who are thirsty for all kinds of things—justice, fair housing, affordable food, fresh water—you name it. Let’s create opportunities for people outside our church walls to get involved. 

Let’s also make sure that we’re sensitive to the culture of outsiders, that we listen to them, respect their values, and honor the traditions which are special to them. This may be particularly important to folks new to our country. 

Let’s keep our conversations safe. No pre-judgment for the homeless, the addicted, the broke, the divorced, the unwed moms, etc., etc. That’s not for us to do. 

Finally, we can keep to our own beloved traditions—our Book of Concord, Book of Common Prayer, or whatever—but don’t funnel it down anybody’s throat. Just answer the questions they have without moralizing, preaching, or pontificating. 

Or you could just love them. That works, too. 

Thanks for your time, my friend. Let me know what you think, okay?