This time in our lives I feel like the world is focused on shining the light on everything that is “wrong” with us and not on the Love. Jesus taught us to love everyone, in spite of the things that society labels them with. The story of the woman at the well John 4 covers how so many in this world must feel. She had so many societal strikes against her. She was born into the wrong group of people from the start (the Samaritans). She was a huge sinner because of her many divorces. She was shunned and not allowed to be a part of society in the “normal” way. I just can’t help but think of the pain she must have felt. In her mind, there was no way to get out of her past and move forward. She must have been so mad at God for starting her life off from a “lower” place. Since she was already unacceptable, she must have decided it was ok to keep sinning. She was never going to “fit in” or be accepted by the right crowd.
I have felt this so much in my life. I totally understand how this woman must have felt. To start life at the bottom of the barrel and to understand you can’t change that…ever… feels like you lost before you started. Your whole life is a fight to gain ground you can’t ever make because someone is on top shoving you down. You feel like no matter how much you do or how hard you try you are never going to be good enough to “fit in” or have enough knowledge or experience to be what you feel in your heart your called for. Yes, we should all rise above this and not look at that, “don’t believe the ‘false’ narrative”, but when everyone around you is screaming this narrative in your face and each time you try to step into a new path, your faced with the same words, it starts to feel like there is no overcoming your narrative.
I was born into a family of witchcraft and horrible truths. I was born into abuse, neglect, and so many other experiences that most people hear about in movies or read about in stories but will never experience. I have fought my entire life to “fit in”. I was adopted into a family, that ended in divorce in the 80’s, when divorce was unacceptable. I decided after trying to fit in and knowing I didn’t, that it didn’t matter how much I sinned, I was never going to be accepted into the “Jesus” world. I have 2 wonderful children, conceived out of wedlock, and I am now walking through divorce with their Dad. I am the woman at the well. Unclean from the start, built my life in sin trying to find a place I fit in, and have never been truly accepted into a world that seems to be filled with grace and acceptance. But Jesus…
The woman at the well was pulling water in the heat of the afternoon because she didn’t want to be around the other woman in the mornings or at night. Jesus purposely went out of his way to meet her there. A Jewish man, meeting a Samaritan sinner at a public place. This was unheard of! Every other Jewish man would have run the other direction. Jesus showed up anyway and changed her life. He made her the “spokesperson” for his new phase of ministry. He revealed his truth to her so she could be the one to spread the message. He brought glory to her life.
Jesus has been walking me through some pretty hard places the last few months. He has shown me how much I truly have walked through in this life, but he has also shown me where he is in ALL of it! So as the world adds another label to me that is meant to push me down (witch, unworthy, second class, abused, adopted, pathetic, divorced, child of divorce, sinner, pregnant out of wedlock, and now white woman, Republican, racist) Jesus is pulling me out of the junk. I don’t know yet where my path is going. I know it’s different than anything I have imagined, but I’m purposely and wonderfully made, and all the “labels” are just abilities that God plans to use to bring His glory to this hurting world. From now on, I label myself as “Daughter of God” “Sister in Christ” “Loved by the Savior of the world” “Saved by the ultimate sacrifice”. I pray that each of you know that I see you all the same. Your label from me is “Loved”
Mind Skipping 