Meeting at the Well

"Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out…” (John 4:29)

One of my very favorite Bible stories to teach to the Sunday School kids is the Woman at the Well. It seems there is no end to the rich variety of angles you can examine it from and it just never gets old for me.

Did Jesus perhaps see in her the good that no one else ever took the time to see? My guess is that she had heard plenty from others about all that was wrong with her. Best of all, Jesus helped her to see the good that was within and she changed her life because of it.

I have a favorite little book by Fred Rogers called: The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember. It’s a delight. One of the things I like most about Mister Rogers is the way he always treated children with great gentleness and respect. The same kind of respect that Jesus showed the woman at the well. He writes:

“Who in your life has been such a servant to you…who has helped you love the good that grows within you?”

God needs servants who show the people around them the good that grows within them. He needs people who are willing to stop and serve the thirsty people at the well.

“If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.”
~Fred Rogers

Remember that when you come in contact with people this week. You may be the only person who has ever pointed out the good within them. Or maybe they just need a fresh reminder because it’s been a long time since someone noticed. Maybe there’s a teenager out there who could use a break from the culture that comes at them from all sides to hear about the good that lies within them. Grab your buckets.