On my way home one day, I heard the Lord say “Are you a woman at the well?” I started tearing up because it had come out of nowhere. In fact, I was on the phone talking about an unrelated subject and I wasn’t necessarily waiting or praying for a word from the Lord. So today I looked up the two stories that I knew of women at the well and here is what I found:

The Bible gives us two stories of “Women at the Well” who had encounters with their destinies. I doubt either of them were prepared to have any sort of life-altering moment that day. Both were simply coming to draw water for their families. But when a stranger asked for a drink, they were very different in their responses and I have learned that when we are faced with the opportunity to serve, share Jesus, and love others, we are presented with the choice to respond like the Samaritan Woman or like Rebekah.

Here are the similarities and differences in their stories:

– When Jesus asks for a drink, she is more concerned with the law and the rules rather than serving. (4:19)

– She asks questions to distract from what was asked of her. (4:12)

– She focuses on logistics “you have nothing to draw with…” (4:11)

– She chooses not to listen for truth; she listens in order to argue. (4:19)

– She has had five husbands and is not married to her current man. (4:18)

– She never actually gives Jesus any water.

– She respects authority and is quick to serve. (24:18)

– She provides her act of service immediately and without hesitation. (24:17-18)

– She does more than what is asked of her despite the logistics and work that it will take to complete her task. (24:19-20)

– She chooses to listen for truth. (24:26-28)

– She is a virgin. (24:16)

– She draws water for the servant and also all his camels. (24:19-20)

– Both had access to the water.

– Both had the opportunity to serve.

– Both had the tools they needed (something to draw with/ from).

And both were blessed in the end because of God’s grace and love, but one lived a drenched life and the other never even drew from the well.

I can’t imagine what Jesus was thinking when he asked the Samaritan woman for a drink in James 4. Did you know they were sitting on Jacob’s well? Jacob- the son of Rebekah. Jesus had to be smiling when the Samaritan woman said “Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well.” He might have wanted to answer, “Um, hello… I was kinda the reason there even was a Jacob to begin with. I made that poor girl give water to alllll that man’s camels!” But, as He is with all of our questions, He was patient. The Samaritan woman eventually believed as well as many in her city because of her testimony, but can you imagine the outcome if she had just given him a drink as Rebekah did? When I’m called to serve water (His Word) to others, I don’t want to waste my time asking God questions and wondering “Is this you, God,” like the Samaritan woman. May I be a woman at the well, quick to serve My Father’s living water to all who are thirsty.