Her transformation

She had been happy bantering with Jesus, who had been trying, without much success, to steer the conversation to deeper things. So he switched to the supernatural: He told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back.’ (see John 4:16). I believe there was a long pause before she looked at her feet and confessed, ‘I have no husband.’ When he told her how many she had had, she was stunned.  A single word of knowledge changed this woman from the local pariah to the first evangelist of the New Testament! How we need to learn to be ready to turn any conversation with the supernatural. Witnessing to a young girl a few years ago, we were making little progress, when I looked at her, took a chance and said, ‘Are you a singer?’ Again, that single word of knowledge was the key to her soul, and five minutes later she was yielding her life to Jesus. God has given us the gifts of the Spirit as his power tools. If he gave them to us, it was not to play with, but because we would need them to extend the kingdom of God!   She left home a water-carrier. She returned a disciple. Leaving her jar was symbolic that the old life had gone, the new had come. She was committed to a new cause.

Her passion

She must have been attractive, but I cannot believe she was popular! She left her precious jar in haste and rushed back to town, her heart exploding with her news! Her enthusiasm must have been compelling. The gossip would have spread. ‘What on earth has happened to her?’ No one had ever seen her so animated, so excited, so full of joy! Oh, my friends, how easy it is to lose this passion in our calm, religious exterior. Dignity, Reinhard Bonnke reminds us, is not a fruit of the Spirit, but joy is! For God’s sake, let us get passionate about Jesus, and tell people! The left jar represents a total change of priorities. Fetching water had been her daily routine. Now it was the message, not the jar, that ruled her life.

Her message

‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did,’ she told them. It wasn’t even true! So many of us hesitate to witness because we are afraid we won’t know how to answer their questions. I remember using this excuse for years. But she was exaggerating to the point of deceit, and yet people were still persuaded! Let us forget our inhibitions about getting our theology perfect, and introduce people to the Man! He will give them all the answers they need. She had left her jar with Jesus as a pledge that she intended to return! And brought the town with her!

Her effectiveness

Not only did the town take the time to go out to Jesus, they were so touched they urged him to stay with them! Many believed because of her testimony.  People may not be persuaded by your arguments but may be by your story. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.’ (John 4:42).

From outcast to honour

Not only did they follow Christ, they acknowledged the woman. I believe her social situation would have totally changed, from outcast to honour! And when Jesus and the woman, together with the disciples, followed the people into Sychar, I wonder who carried her water jar?