Real, Relatable, And Ready

I always wonder what happened after the Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well, received salvation, quenched her thirst, and shared her testimony. I like to think she quickly turned from sin and is sharing eternal life with the Lord. She could have also struggled with her sin and gave in, doomed forever.

But lets talk about a scenario that makes her relatable to women like you and I because we will always wrestle with sin, small or great. There will be hurt and temptation and we will struggle until the day we take our last breath.

First, I am going to call her Sammi for the sake of not having to type the Samaritan woman over and over. Also…thanks for your grace on that.

Now, Sammi went to the well, quenched her thirst with Living Water, and shared her testimony which aided in others believing in the Messiah. A complete transformation. This is how God works. Which is EXACTLY what we are supposed to do as believers, new and old. But what happened after that? What does that look like for us? Did Sammi stumble at times? Did she experience temptation still? You betchya she did! I am sure she faced a whole heap of struggles. Her testimony, your testimony, ANY testimony is an ever-evolving story. It doesn’t end at salvation because it is JUST THE BEGINNING. It has to be real. It has to be relatable.

How does it apply? Let me be transparent: I was baptized as an infant, raised Lutheran, got pregnant at 17 and again at 20 and 22, and I was baptized again at 29 after…I want to say veering off the spiritual path, but it was more like a 90 degree right hand turn at full speed into the ditch. Lets be honest. I have been angry at God in ways I never want to be again. And even now, I struggle. I judge quickly at times and I fear judgement when I shouldn’t. And sometimes my mouth speaks before the filter kicks in. Oh and during the first COVID lockdown I worked from home, in my bathrobe, without shame (see above). I also have recently worn the same pair of jeans for 3 days and I did not wash my hair today. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Again, I am the woman at the well.

We cannot bring others along if we haven’t walked the same road and fought the same battles. Sammi is relatable. But if you think about it, we can relate a part of ourselves to almost EVERY woman in the Bible. Eve, Delilah, Ruth, Esther, Sarah, Rachel, Bathsheba, you name it. We can pick out characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, struggles and triumphs and put a name to it. Make it real, make it relatable.

Sammi’s testimony was uniquely hers and it was filled with hurt, shame, and struggle. That statement holds true for you too. Do not be ashamed of the road you have walked. Do not be afraid of the judgement that may come from others. Do not discount the story God has laid out before you to share. Because there is someone out there who needs your words. She may be wearing the same pair of jeans for 3 days too.

You are Sammi. Own it.

Psalm 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.