From Doubt to Desire: Thirsting for Life

We each pronounce things differently. You say to-mah-to; I say to-may-toe. You say ketchup; I say catsup. When we focus on our differences, we build fences, but when we look for our similarities, we build gates.

The more I think about the woman at the well from today’s reading, the more I see how much I have in common with her. She likely felt left out, lonely and misunderstood. I remember feeling all these things in high school. Because of my faith, I was ostracized and dubbed, The Vanguard of Righteousness. This nickname still makes me cringe. I remember the person who first said it. (He was a super-cute, oh-so-popular football player.) I remember his tone. (He was mocking me.) I remember where he was sitting. (He sat smack-dab behind me in chemistry class.) And, most of all, I remember how it made me feel. (I wanted to cry.)

It’s likely you too have experienced feeling left out, lonely and misunderstood. Maybe you’ve been given a nickname or label that minimized you, like the woman at the well. Her nickname has stuck for over 2,000 years and is instantly connected with sin and shame within religious circles.

While you and I may not have had five partners, we likely have had five decisions or experiences that we would love to erase from our life story if given a second chance. Here’s the good news. Jesus is the author of second chances…and third chances…and fourth chances…and fifth chances. His mercies are new every morning and his grace is better than any eraser.

Like the woman at the well, we are each sinners who are saved by grace. We each need mercy and unconditional love. We each crave meaning and purpose even more than meat and potatoes. And we each thirst for Living Water.

Like the woman at the well, we each have names and life stories. Though we never learn her birth name, we know this woman’s story and how it changed. After meeting Jesus, she became the first person to whom Jesus revealed Himself as Messiah in the gospel of John. Then she became one of the first evangelists to spread the Good News. Both new titles inspire me and give me courage.

Like her, our Savior wants to transform us and our story. With Him we may be broken, but we can become beautiful. We may be betrayed, but we can become befriended. We may feel hopeless, but we can become happy. We may be jolted, but we can become joyful. We may be victims, but we can become victors. We may have been abandoned, but we can become adopted. We may waver, but we can become resolute. We may be melancholic, but we can become merry. We may have been cowards, but we can become courageous. We may have been sin-soaked, but we can become sanctified.

When we label people and look for differences, we build fences to keep out strangers. When we look for similarities, we build gates to welcome neighbors. When we look for common ground, we find holy ground. There we can learn to love our neighbors as ourselves and agree that regardless of how we pronounce to-mah-tos and to-may-toes, both are the main ingredient in catsup and ketchup!

Prayer: Lord, I find it hard to talk to __(insert names here)___. On the outside it seems we have little in common. Help me see our similarities, find common ground and build gates so that I will welcome them as neighbors.

Note: Though the woman at the well isn’t named, Eastern Orthodox tradition has venerated her as Saint Photini, which means “Enlightened.” This name was allegedly bestowed on her by the apostles at her baptism. According to the tradition, she became a well-known evangelist and was eventually martyred by Nero in 66 AD.
(accessed 1/25/25 https://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/photini.htm )