John 4:27-42 has the disciples returning and finding Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at the well as He sought a drink of water. They “couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman”. It just wasn’t proper and right in that day. While none of them said anything, they were all thinking it. The Samaritan woman could tell what they were thinking though, and she left. When she did she forgot her pot that she had brought there to get water. Back in her village she couldn’t stop talking about Jesus and she encouraged them all to go to the well and meet Him for themselves.
The disciples quickly moved on to something else – pressing Jesus to eat. But He tells them “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started”. Jesus is man, but also God. He is sustained by obedience to God’s mission, not by any earthly food. It would certainly be great for us if we were as motivated about obedience as this example by Jesus. He then changes to subject to challenge His disciples to see what was before them – a harvest that was ripe and ready.
Then Jesus speaks these very important words: “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life”. We need to be in harvest mode all the time, recognizing that we are surrounded by people every day who are ripe to receive the gift of eternal life. While it isn’t always going to be us that makes that harvest, we all have a part in bringing others to the Kingdom. We may sow, we may work the field walking long and hard with others, but we all need to realize that the harvest is the ultimate outcome in people’s lives.
The woman comes back with many from her Samaritan village, and a revival happened. “Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness”. She had shared how Jesus touched her life, and that testimony of a woman despised by the disciples and all Jews becomes the catalyst for the salvation of many. God isn’t interested in our resume or heritage. He cares about our heart, and our willingness to commit to Him. Her testimony of Jesus caused many to come and see and find that “He’s the Savior of the world”. Amen – hallelujah – that is what we all need to be about!
Arlin Sorensen's Thoughts on Scripture 