The Power of One Story

Near the end of Jesus’ dialogue with a Samaritan woman at a well in midday, she leaves her water jar (perhaps because at this point she’s more concerned with living water than natural water), returns to her town, and invites people come see a prophet who is perhaps the Christ (v29). Many townsfolk believe in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony (v39), and they ask Jesus to lodge in their village. Jesus stays with them for two days, and even more people believe in Him and confess: “We know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” When Jesus breaks into her story, her witness compels people to check out Jesus for themselves. Don’t miss the significant point here: the condition of one’s life prior to Christ has no bearing on the potency of one’s ensuing witness to Him; the redemption (and transformation) of a deeply broken past may, in fact, bolster the power of one’s witness all-the-more.