Too Many Holes

St. John chapter 4:5-42

Too many holes

Too many holes within our soul to be healed by a man

The Samaritan Woman was ridiculed night and day by every form of Jewish human connection. This Samaritan is the woman to whom I shall refer as the woman at Jacobs well. She had a life style that was frowned upon by every Jewish person that knew or heard about her. She was spoken of as the woman with a he menstrual flow. Consider unclean as one with a constant flow of blood. A woman like her was considered unclean and band from public gathering. It would appear as if the body has no time to heal during the menstrual cycle because her lifestyle was on-going. Nevertheless in the case of the Samaritan Woman she was considered unclean not only because of the reference of her a one with menstrual cycle. Due to her lifestyle she was considered unclean for the 365 days of the years. The woman at Jacob’s well because of her adulterous life style was shunned by everyone. In the eyes and custom of the Jewish people this woman was considered unclean at all the time. When I say unclean I mean unclean, because anyone that comes in contact with or touches her they would also be consider unclean until evening. Wow what a stress, can you imagine been unclean every awaken days of your life. Just think about it for a few minutes, every waken moment of your life the eyes of humanity is focused on you as someone unclean to society and humanity. Just imagine the ridicule and segregation confronting her daily during the routine activities of life. Think of the shame her probable experience during those years; walking along the wayside to the well people’s eyes followed her. By Jewish custom woman was considering unclean during their menstrual cycle and her life style drove a deeper wedge into the situation. Following her outcast by Jewish custom everything and everyone with whom she comes in contact with was considered unclean. The woman at Jacob’s who walked away from the adherence of Jewish law, living an adulterous life for what reason we do not know exactly and the refusal to worship in Jerusalem a way of life and a culture embedded in the Jewish principle resulted in shame and open disgrace. Therefore everyone avoided her. Why? When we look back to the word of God in the Old Testament such behavioral lifestyle was consider immoral with a penalty to death. This woman at Jacob’s well is someone many of us can relate to if we are true to ourselves. We have all done things contrary to the will of God. Yet her encounter with Christ identifies a soul that was thirsty and longing for something to fill the gap within her heart. The gap resulted in her searching for affirmation in the wrong way and places. Which resulted in her becoming involved in a position of her having 5 husbands and the one with whom she was presently living was not heir’s either. Oh what an awful state to find one self in? There was no one to affirm her rightful womanhood and fill the yearning in her spirit. This was a woman like many of us today who do not see things through the same eyes of the elites in our society. You see as women we need to understand this woman was a Samaritan................. These Samaritans were the descendants of the remnants of native Israelites who remained in the land following the fall of 722 BC of the Northern kingdom. They along with the return of foreign colonies during the time when the Babylonians, Medes and Assyrian conquerors Samaria. (You may read the accounts in II Kings 17: 24). These women remained in the Northern section and were now separated from the southern section and were not allow go up to Jerusalem for worship. Such resentment and separation exposed this remnant to pagan worship and a backsliding lifestyle. The woman at Jacobs’s well had gotten so deep into idolatry she now has five husbands. Her thirst for love and belonging so great no one seems capable of satisfying the thirst. Well there is an old saying that goes like this all good things must come to an end. Buoy did it ever come to an end on during the day of one of her routine visit to the well. Oh yes a strange thing happens when she arrives at the well. To her surprise a find handsome young man was sitting on the well waiting for her. Not only was he sitting on the well but he a Jew dared asked of her water to drink. Probably out of shock and surprise she said but you have nothing with which to draw water from the well. With some sort of fear and tremble she realized from the authoritative tone in his voice this man was not an ordinary Jew. But to make matters worse as she drew closer to the voice of conversation she asked do you know who I am. (I am Samaritan woman don’t you know that the Jews have nothing to do with the Samaritans.) Christ was so please with her response which further opens to gateway of communication. What is it why you asked of me water to drink? You see Christ knew all about the cultural barriers that separate this woman from society. Can you imagine Christ had an appointment to meet with this woman and she knew nothing about it? This Samaritan woman was lonely despised and rejected by society and the search for love. She was looking for big time escape and she did not find it because the lifestyle she chooses to live separate her from society. Walking away from the faith is one thing but becoming an adulterous woman is quite another story. As believers let us see her life as a dangerous example when as children of God we walked away from the faith. As followers of Christ let us be true witnesses of the gospel and allowing the light of Christ to so shine through us. When we live the life Christ expects of us men will not be able to draw us away. If we earnestly seek Christ he will woo us. Take the time out to develop a relationship that will be lasting and fulfilling. Looking at this encounter from a human point of view this was such a beautiful way of exposing love to someone who has never experience true love. I just love the way Christ put personal touch to everything he does. Listen to the excitement in the woman’s voice when she said give me a few minutes Sir I will be back. There are a few friends I would love to introduce you to. This love affair you just share with me is too good for me to keep to myself. And so with this new found relationship she spread true genuine love relation with others. This woman was able to show these men what true love is all about and how a woman should be treated by a man. Year 1990