Samaria circa 30 AD
It was noon and sweat poured from my forehead as I went to the well. I had to wait till all the other Samaritan women had gotten their water. I was a Samaritan, half-jew, half-gentile, despised by even my own people. Another day of rejection, another day of being an outcast, and another day of people shaming me because of my mistakes and failures. I was alone, a sinner, rejected, humiliated by those more privelaged than I. Oh why does no one see me?! They see my mistakes, my sins, but they don't see me. I need help but others just walk on by, my tears wet the ground but no one dries them and no one ever will. I get to the well and as I put my bucket on the edge, the tears come again and this time I can't help but wail loudly and sink myself to the ground against the well.
"Please God. Please help me" I sob, my head on my knees.
"Excuse me" a soft voice said. I looked up and was surprised to see a man, a Jewish man. He had brown woolly hair and soft brown eyes full of concern and caring. Someone hadn't looked at me like that in a long time.
"Give me a drink" he said. It wasn't an order but more of a courteous request.
"How is it that you a Jew,ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?"
"If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked him and he would've given you living water." I was confused by his statement. What water was he speaking of?
"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" he continued.
"I know that the Messiah is coming. When he comes he will proclaim all things to us." I replied.
"I am he, the one is speaking to you." I was shocked. How could this man, the Messiah, be so willing to talk to someone like me in front of possibly dozens of witnesses?
He seemed to sense my shock and he smiled warmly and said "All are sinners. Your Father in heaven loves you. Never forget that." My eyes began to fill with tears, but for the first time in a long while, they were tears of joy.
A group of twelve men appeared by the road and called for him.
"God Bless you" he said, and began to walk away.
"Oh wait sir!" I called out. He looked back over his shoulder.
"What is your name?"
"Jesus of Nazareth."