Gentle Confrontation

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” -John 4.15-18

Jesus offers a Samaritan woman living water, and her response is "give it to me". Jesus, who is addressing her deeper need of healing and transformation begins His work. He offers eternal life to everyone, but there is work that must be done before this gift can be bestowed. Jesus knows her story. He knows why she is at the well in the heat of the day. He knows why she is alone. When she asks for living water, He gently addresses her sin. He tells her to bring her husband, to which she admits she has no husband. Jesus tells her she is correct, and then shows her relationship history. And though He reveals her sinful past, he doesn't do it in a way that is condemning, nor does He rescind the offer of living water.

Jesus does not condemn her for her past, if He did, He would have told her that she was unfit to ever receive new life. He also does not condone her sinful lifestyle, if He did, He wouldn't have addressed it. Jesus offers life to all, regardless of the past, but He does not allow the past to go unaddressed. Jesus gently breeches the subject of sin, allowing the woman to confess. When she does, He is able to deal with it, call her to God's quality of life, and offer her living water.

People are not to be condemned or condoned for their choices by us, that is God's job. We are to take the Jesus approach. We must show the love of God, knowing that no one is beyond His grace, and point people lovingly to living water. That is how God reached all who believe and have been transformed. It is how He reached a sinful woman at the well, and how He reaches sinners today. Let us be like Jesus.

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!