Make sure you swallow everything

Tonight at Comm Club vespers, the speaker just read the Samaritan Woman part of John 4, and then forced us to ask questions about it.  At one point, I think she asked something like, "Why do you think Jesus talked with her while His disciples were gone?"  I had been thinking about that for a couple minutes previously, but in a [much?] different way.

My mind asked the question like this:  "How cool is it that Jesus was bold/loving/assertive/friendly/godly/wise (take your pick, there are probably other adjectives that work better) enough to take advantage of the situation!"  After all, his disciples had gone into town to get food, leaving him alone (presumably) at the well.  Then, a woman comes up, probably trying to ignore Him, and waBAM, Jesus has the intuition (?) and brilliance to hook her with a suave "gimme a drink, woman."  Amazing.  I would have just sat there, on my butt, looking at the ants crawl by, or the moss-encrusted well rocks, or my dirty sandals.  Maybe I'd have whistled a tune.  Maybe I would have run after my disciples to make sure they got the right bread and fish.  Certainly, I would have been sure not to have spoken with her.  Especially had I known she was prone to hookin' up with lonely guys (five of them previously, I believe).

But no, Jesus somehow made sure she figured out that He was God and that God was God and that God was GOOD.  Even while reminding her He was thirsty, and telling her she was a lousy woman (five husbands!?!), and making sure it was clear that the Samaritans prayed and worshiped all wrong and that salvation was by the Jews (really, Jesus? Really!?).

But the disciples stayed away long enough for all that to go down.  And she walked away blessed.  And she came back with others.  And many were saved.

Yeah, I don't know if Jesus knew she would come along while the disciples were hittin' the town.  Maybe He did, maybe He didn't.  Maybe God knew and impressed Him to stick around the well.  Why else would He?  Just a nice well?  Perhaps.  But I guess I believe that Jesus knew His Father's gentle whisper well enough that He just stayed.  And then became thirsty, conveniently, when He realized, felt, that a thirstier young woman, torn and broken and bitter, was there for Him to bless.  And somehow, He said all the wrong things in all the right ways.  God apparently doesn't solely rely on Happy Sabbaths and I Love Yous and God Blesss (three Ss?  Two more for the question??).  Even His Son talked smack to a psychologically, mentally, socially, emotionally worn down woman.  But somehow it worked!  I just don't get it.  But I love it.

The Samaritan Woman.  She has her own title now.  But in heaven, she'll be known as the woman who got to give Jesus/Michael a clay of water, not the Samaritan Woman.  She'll be known as the woman of the Eternal Spring of Living Water.  She'll be known as the woman who brought her whole town to Jesus.  She'll be known as the woman who talked with Jesus.

I suppose to me it's not a question of why Jesus did it while His disciples were gone.  To me it's a question of why wouldn't Jesus do it then.  I would've whistled when Jesus, instead, whispered.

"The woman said, 'I know that Messiah is coming.  When he comes, he will explain everything to us.'

'I who speak to you am he.'" said Living Water.