Woman at the Well Healing from a Broken Spirit
Brokenness to Blessedness
The Apostle John shared a great example in scripture regarding brokenness through the account of the Samaritan Woman (John 4:4-30) – the ‘Woman at the Well.’ In the Biblical days, Jews hated Samaritans, and women were culturally demeaned. To place a Jewish man with the combination of the two – a Samaritan and a woman, would have been despicable to many Jews. It was the noon hour (hottest part of the day), when the woman at the well came to draw out water. Her brokenness must have led her to avoid meeting the other women knowing most had drawn from the well in the morning or evening. She must have been a woman of shame.
On this particular day and hour, John recorded that Jesus had need to go through Samaria and He took rest by Jacob’s well. When the Samaritan woman came, Jesus prompted for a drink of water. Jesus approached her with kindness by speaking to her with a soft voice (1 Kings 19:12). How do I know this? When it comes to brokenness, God’s character is to respond with a gentle voice. His words drew her attention – a Jewish man was requesting water from a Samaritan. Then Christ took the opportunity to take what is familiar (water) and transition it to a different perspective.
His words drew her attention – a Jewish man was requesting water from a Samaritan. Then Christ took the opportunity to take what is familiar (water) and transition it to a different perspective. You can only imagine her past relationships; she was hardened by her life experiences and calloused by others’ negative opinions. She had no name, but her name could be any of us. Jesus recognized her ‘brokenness’ and showed kindness and compassion towards this Samaritan woman. Jesus did not meet her to fix her but to heal her.
Finding a shared element creates a common ground. Jesus shared with her refreshment that comes from Living Water, the only thing that could genuinely satisfy in life (John 4:10,14). So how did Jesus shift the perspective and meaning of ‘brokenness’? By demonstrating the importance of ‘refreshing the soul of brokenness’ rather than fixing what is broken.
Christ’s communication skills were a lingering love. When the woman spoke, Jesus listened. When Jesus prompted about her husband, she knew He had empathy and knowledge about her past life of pain, callousness, and hurt. When Jesus’ wisdom enlightened her to reflect upon herself, she thought He was very special, as she believed Jesus was a prophet. His attitude was caring, yet He shared in a beautiful way to help her understand her brokenness. How did He do that? Jesus would reframe through His dialogue. Reframing is changing how you view circumstances with expressions that counter thoughts from despair and hopelessness. Jesus provided the woman at the well with a new perspective. He took a shared element of water and transitioned the perspective to Living Water.
Essentially, Jesus was saying to the woman, ‘you can find refreshment to your broken spirit.’ Spiritual refreshment is an inward reality. Jesus compared His living water to the water in the well. The water in the well is motionless. If one seeks the water from the well, they will be thirsty again. Jesus offered a fountain. A fountain of water is constantly in motion, perpetual; it’s bubbling, fresh, and can push through the dirt that would cover it. Life’s challenges will bury with dirt, gravel, sticks and stones. When you are filled with His living water, it gushes that out and brings refreshment to your soul. God can take the mess in your life and turn it into a message.
The lesson learned from this was that Jesus, who is God, was aware of this woman’s broken spirit and cared. When God wants to use you, He will put that need in you to intervene. If you recall in John 4:4, John wrote Jesus needed to go through Samaria. Jesus demonstrated: 1) To care about others, you must be aware. 2) You must approach with kindness and never judgment. 3) Find ways (common ground) to draw a new perspective. 4) Refresh the soul with words of life and light. These were practical approaches crisis interventionist can follow.
What was the Samaritan woman’s response? She was overjoyed! She experienced hope with a new perspective. She went back to her village to share the message of good news! Because of her desire to share the good news with others, others came to hear Jesus speak to them. She was considered the first evangelist.
Being a crisis interventionist involves the wisdom of God. God will use you to say something that would draw their attention. Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding.” Jesus addressed the woman with something they both had in common—the need for water. Jesus was thirsty, and she came to draw water from the well. When there is commonality or relatability to someone in crisis, there may be a connection. You may be a coworker, a friend, a called-out volunteer chaplain, a neighbor, a clergy, or someone with a connection, thus – you become a part of the solution.
As a crisis interventionist, we do not ask, “what is wrong with this person?” We ask, “what happened to this person?” Jesus knew that her brokenness needed healing, not fixing. In His dialogue with her, He gave her a different perspective. We can bring a new perspective to the broken and hurting. In the same way, Jesus noted the need for this broken woman to find refreshment – He offered her living water.
