The woman at the well, found in John 4 is a parable that you have probably heard of.
I had never quite understood what great significance there was to a women speaking with Christ at a well. I mean, in that day women always drew water for their families...a well was like our modern day sink, or a drinking fountain -- it was a normal everyday thing that she was doing.
Although it was normal this woman was a Samaritan.
She was an outcast among all.
Not only was she an outcast but she was also a woman who did not have a husband, but rather had, five "lovers", none of which was she actually legally wed to.
Here she was at the well drawing water around noon, which is the hottest time of the day, so no other person was there drawing water.
Only this woman was at the well, and Christ.
It is such an eye opener, knowing that this lowely woman who is despised, rejected, and judged harshly throughout the Jews was at this well carrying on a conversation with the Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ.
It was astonishing to me that she and he were talking so normally about scriptures, doctrine of the gospel, and Christ was inviting her to come and choose to partake of salvation. He was inviting her to repent and choose to come unto God and worship the Father.
Many times I feel like it is so hard to be able to pick up the scriptures, read and come unto Christ, it is hard to open my heart and speak to a non-judgmental God, it is hard to really feel like I am good enough to have a conversation with God ... but one thing that I took from this parable was that this woman could speak to Christ, she discussed scripture with him, and she was a sinner! She spoke with Him and He with her as friends do who care deeply for the welfare of the other person.
If she was accepted, taught, and loved by Jesus Christ then I do not have any excuse, I am not the exception!
We are all sinners, we all just sin a bit differently ... We each have the same opportunity to partake of the living waters of Jesus Christ, and if we partake we will never thirst after anything different.
The only thing is is that partaking is a choice.
Drawing from the well of the Living Water is a CHOICE!
OUR choice, no person, not even God is going to take away the God given gift of agency.
2 Nephi 26:24
"He doeth not aything save it be fore the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation."
Christ invites ALL to come unto Him and partake of His salvation, even the living water of eternal life. It's not a walk in the park, it does take work, but it is very much worth it!
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