Water from Some Area

Leadership

He shouldn't have been there in the first place. It wasn't safe for him, like walking into Yankee Stadium in a Red Sox jersey, or marching down the streets of North Korea with a cross on your shirt and a Bible in your hand. But Jesus was on his way to Galilee, and the shortest path was through Samaria.

Samaritans and Jews have hated each other for a long time, and there were more traditional routes around the region that most Jews took. Jesus, on the other hand, stepped into the conflict, not around it, and used the least likely person to impact the entire village.

"The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, 'You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?' Jesus replied, 'If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.'" (John 4:9-10)

Let's break it down a bit. First, the woman was of ill repute, which is why she was at the well gathering water at noontime instead of the morning with all of the other women. She was an outcast, having burned through five husbands, and now living with a rando who was not one. He was alone with her, while his disciples were in town looking for food. He was in enemy territory, doing everything the culture would say not to do, and declared himself the savior of the world. A recipe to be taken out.

In the midst of all this scandalous behavior, he wasn't taken out at all. Conversely, that one event, through the biggest outcast he could find, caused many Samaritans to believe in him and provided a courageous example for us all to learn from.

Sometimes we have to go through "some area" to have the biggest impact. Places where we know we aren’t wanted, there's the likelihood of being hurt, chastised, disliked, or unfriended. Places where people may reject us, judge us, or even attempt to cut us out or take us down altogether. That said, that's where the most significant victories await.

What are some areas in life you need to walk through to get where you are called to go?

A relationship full of conflict? A battle with addiction? A professional certification you desire but are afraid to take the leap or fail? Sales calls you should be making? Meetings with potential partners that might reject you? Conflict at the office? A family member you need to confront or apologize to? The gym? The apology? The pride? Who's your woman at the well you need to love when nobody else will?

The best route to where you are called is usually through "some area" that is uncomfortable and risky. If you only knew the gift God has for you. Don't allow fear to re-route you along the safe path. Step into "some area" and experience the refreshment of the best water out of the only well that can produce it. Take the risk.