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If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the woman at the well or want to refresh your memory, pause the video right now and read John 4. I got it up for you on the screen.

And welcome back! When reading this passage, we see that this woman was barely surviving. Based on other texts of the Old Testament and also some historical context, the well was a place of community, but this became her reminder of loneliness. A time to mingle and enjoy life to the fullest was perhaps her time to get away. But as I read the passage, I asked myself one question: How did Jesus love?

And the text shows me that: Jesus loves by going out of the way. He goes to inconvenient places, places that everyone avoids in order to reach people. He loves by calling people to serve Him. And when He does this, it surpasses the social norm. He loves by dealing with the quote on quote undealable. The nobodys. The outcasts. He loves by promising to provide living water--everlasting life. Jesus loves by knowing us. He loves by giving us more knowledge about Him and His ability to save.

So, there I was, carrying my water bottle, with the little water it held. From the text, I saw that the woman came with an empty water pot too, a water bottle if you will, longing to fill it, but leaving with a promise of something better. Just as the woman came with her issues to the well, I definitely came to the pond with mine.

And I sat there. Stumped.

Because why would God ask me to give Him water? Someone who clearly doesn’t have any, who’s searching alone, who’s there to get some for herself. Why would You ask me, when Your likeness is above and beyond mine? When You should have no dealings with me? But You promise me something better. This thing called living water, that can quench my thirst forever and springs up to eternal life. Give it to me so that I don’t have to come to this park, to this well, ever again. So that I can permanently avoid this part of my day for the rest of my life. Give it to me. So that I don’t have to look like a lonely, desperate, senior theology student filled with shame to even admit that I, a supposed spiritual leader, am in need for more. That as someone who talks about living water, has in reality, forgotten its taste and has gone back to drawing from a well built by man.

But God, You know me! All that goes on behind closed doors, when no eye is watching, You know these things. I can talk religion and debate about salvational issues, just like the woman.

But the woman  ends the debate by saying that she knows that the Messiah is coming and when He comes, “He will tell us all things.” He’ll solve all these religious issues and answer our questions. Her determining factor to know who the Messiah was that the Messiah would tell all things. And it’s so interesting, because in v. 29, she says, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did.” NOT all things about water or all things about mountain top worship services. No. It was: come, this person might be the Messiah, because He told me everything that I did.

Perhaps as she told the men in her city to come to see Jesus, perhaps she thought to herself: wow! Is this actually the Messiah? A Jewish Man, willing to come to Samariah. A man willing to talk to me, despite knowing everything that I’ve done and has offered me living water, eternal life.

Could it be that you are also at a well, searching and working tirelessly to fill your soul? Are you barely surviving with everything that’s going on and just simply getting by? I have good news to share. There is a Man named Jesus who fully knows you and is offering something way better. 

My friend said, “I am the light of the world. You have no reason to fear the dark. Go.”

Then the dream transitioned and got weird where my mom asked me to make cookies for church and I missed out on my friend’s sermon because I came back from trying to play soccer.

Anyways, the words my friend said in the dream, stuck with me. “I am the light of the world. You have no reason to fear the dark. Go.”

I woke up and these are the lessons that I learned from it:

Oftentimes a lot of Christians don’t want to go out into the world. We like our safe bubble. We like lingering and staying in the light and when Christ calls us to go back, whether it’s into the dark, we hesitate. We become afraid. We start worrying. We think to ourselves: what business do I have in the dark? I don’t want to fall back into sin. I don’t want to fall again period. I don’t want to repeat the mistakes I’ve made beforehand. And we almost become paralyzed in the presence of God.  

But Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

He speaks these words to a woman who was caught in adultery. He doesn’t condemn her, but tells her to sin no more.

And if I was standing in the crowd, watching this whole scene take place, I would ask myself: What? tHow can this woman sin no more? “Can an Ethiopian change the colour of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can [she] start doing good, for [she] has always done evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23) And I project that onto myself as well. Can I change the colour of my skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Well, neither can I start doing good, for I have always done evil.

But verse 12 says that Jesus addresses the crowd and speaks to them again saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

You may be afraid of leaving your comfort zone and reaching out to a world that is hurting and broken. You may feel as though you just recovered from your own brokenness. You just found the light. So why take the chance and risk to experience the hurt and darkness again?

But Jesus is telling you that He is the light of the world. If you follow Him, you will not walk in darkness, but you will have the light of life. Therefore, you have no reason to fear the dark.

So go and let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And if you feel as though you are in a helpless situation, may the word of the LORD in Psalm 121 be your comfort.

“When you lift up your eyes to the hills—

 wondering where will your help come from?

Remember that your help comes from the Lord,

   who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

   he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel

   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

   the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

   nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;

   he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep

   your going out and your coming in

   from this time on and forevermore.”

He who is the Light of the world is with you. Even if you say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to our God; [in fact,] the night is as bright as the day, for [even] darkness is as light to [Him]” (Psalm 139:11-12). So long as you follow God and make Him your help, you will never walk in darkness. So do not be afraid. Arise. Go. And shine. For He who is with you, will never forsake you.