Leave your water jar behind
Discover how a chance encounter at the well can change everything.
Sometimes you read something that sticks with you. It could be an article, a short news item, or a quote from a book. It happens when you read the Bible, too. It touched me again today.
I read the story in John 4 about the encounter between Jesus and a woman who was completely on the outside. Society despised her. At the hottest part of the day, exactly at noon, she went to the well to draw water. There she met Jesus. Something special happens in that encounter. He asks her for water, but a conversation ensues that deeply touches and changes her heart.
When the disciples return a short while later, they react with surprise. They do not understand why Jesus is speaking with a woman. There were clear reasons for this at the time. A rabbi never spoke with a woman in public. Some even claimed that speaking to a woman would bring misfortune upon you. Others believed that a teacher would damage his reputation by spending time with such a woman. He was supposed to devote his hours to the study of the Torah.
There was more at play. A deep enmity had existed between the Jews and the Samaritans for centuries. That hostility remained openly visible right up to Jesus’ time. The Jews ignored the Samaritans so much that they would rather take a detour across the Jordan River than set foot in Samaria.
Jesus pays no heed to this. He crosses that boundary. He does not allow himself to be guided by discrimination and traditions. He follows his heart and knows he is guided by the Spirit of God. Thus, He engages in conversation with this woman, in direct defiance of all unwritten laws.
Moreover, this woman carried a heavy burden. She had had five husbands, and the man she was living with at that moment was not her husband. The village therefore completely ignored her. She was alone at the well, while the other women came in the early morning or late evening, when the heat was bearable. This woman was on her own. She was a lonely woman with sorrow in her heart. Society looked away, but Jesus looked at her.
The abandoned jar
After meeting Jesus, she runs back to her village. She wants to tell everyone. She has met a man who knew everything about her life. This must be the Messiah. At that moment, she leaves her jar behind.
I used to read that little sentence about the jug without giving it a second thought. Now it strikes me. The woman leaves her jug behind and runs away. She makes a clear choice and sets a new priority. The Bible asks the same of us. Matthew 6:33 says that we must seek the Kingdom of God first. Then everything else will fall into place. God’s blessing is tied to that choice. That is a wonderful promise to experience.
This woman’s daily concerns became secondary to her encounter with Jesus. Fetching water had suddenly become a side issue. That jar symbolizes much more. It represents the material aspects of your life. The daily cycle of eating, drinking, working, and sleeping. Many people get stuck in an existence without a deeper purpose or direction. For this woman, Jesus broke through that rut.
You may also be living in such a rut—a succession of activities without truly feeling a sense of purpose or discovering new areas in your life. God wants to change that. He wants to break that cycle.
The jar of shame and emptiness
There is another thought associated with this jar: that of shame. This woman left her shame behind at the well, and we can do the same. In Jesus’ presence, she no longer had to hide. He addressed her situation honestly and directly. Yet, in His presence, she experienced that she no longer had to walk with her head bowed. She was free to speak openly with Him.
In the same way, you too can move past shame. Even if things have gone wrong in your life, know that shame does not have the final say. Be vulnerable in God’s presence. Tell Him that mistakes have been made and ask for His help. You may leave that jar of shame behind to show others that a new life has been born within you. You don’t have to be weighed down by old sins. The encounter with the Messiah brings forgiveness.
The final idea associated with this jar is that of temporary fulfillment. It is the constant search for happiness while you notice the jar emptying again and again. Think of chasing after possessions or a career that revolves solely around money. The time spent on social media is part of this as well. On average, young people spend 165 minutes a day on apps like TikTok and Instagram. For people over forty, that’s still 98 minutes a day. Millions of people say they want to reclaim their lives from this digital world, but they’re trapped in a trap.
God wants us to leave these vessels of emptiness and boredom behind. There is more to be found in an encounter with Jesus. You are invited to discover this and share it with others.
The woman in the story transformed from an outcast into someone who proclaimed the good news. She temporarily let go of her material security for a higher purpose. Through God, she discovered who she truly was. In Jesus’ presence, you can discover that too. You’ll transform from someone wandering aimlessly into someone who finds meaning in God.
Leave your jar behind after your encounter with Jesus. The Bible teaches us that you will never thirst again. Jesus promises that the water He gives you will quench your thirst forever.
@wimvanputten