Whenever I have heard sermons on the Samaritan woman at the well, I've been impressed by the fact that one woman's testimony caused many people in the city to believe in Jesus. Several other important points in this story stand out whenever I hear it. The first thing is that women were not regarded very highly. Even if she had been living a perfect life, the men normally would not have paid much attention to what she had to say. The second thing is that not only was she a woman, but she was a woman who was living with a man who was not her husband. I did some checking into the Greek translation of this story and it does show she was having an intimate relationship with this man. It wasn't a brother, or some family member who took her in. She was intimately involved with this man. Therefore, not only did the men in the town have no respect for her, neither did the women. Yet, with all these strikes against her, Jesus was able to use her to convert many people in the town.
The first lesson I get from this story is that it doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, God can use you. None of us are a hopeless cause. We just have to acknowledged Who God is and desire what He has to offer us. He takes it from there.
The second lesson I see in this story is a God who can see everyone individually. He knows where each of us are. Here was a woman who was pretty much shunned by the town. She probably felt all alone and that no one cared about her except for the man she was living with. With all the people living in that area, Jesus saw this one woman. I don't believe the meeting at the well was an accident. I believe it was prearranged. God knew where this woman was, and where she would be at that time of day. He made sure Jesus was there with her. He made sure no one else would be around so they could have a private conversation. And because of that private conversation the woman believed. She went back to the town and told others about Jesus and they believed. They listened to a woman they normally wouldn't have anything to do with. I personally believe the Holy Spirit went with that woman and touched the hearts of those in the town.
There is nothing so messed up, no situation so difficult that God can't work with it or around it, and even use it, to draw others to Him. God created everything. He is in control of everything. Nothing is too big or difficult for Him to handle. And no one is so unimportant that God can't pick them out of a crowd and see how they are or what they are doing. He cares about every single person on this earth. Even during those times when it seems He's not paying attention or hearing your cries for help, just keep hanging on. He is seeing you, He is listening to you. If we could see the whole picture He sees, we would understand why He allows things to happen the way they do. Just trust Him and keep hanging on to Him. He is worth hanging on to. Someday we will have all the answers and someday we will see how our devotion to Him caused others to believe and be saved. It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.