Leaving Behind Our Water Pots

At a Stake Women's Conference yesterday I learned a lot about the woman at the well and the significance of that story. I've always been taught that the significance of this story is that a Jew was talking to a Samaritan. A Samaritan woman even. However, I learned yesterday that there's a lot more to this story than simply being nonjudgemental (which is an important lesson). It's interesting to note that the woman at the well was never named. Perhaps that was done deliberately so we could see ourselves more easily in her place. It's also interesting to note that the woman came to the well in the "sixth hour", which is about noon. Filling water pots was typically something done in the morning before the day had started. Why then would this woman come so late in the day? Was there a reason she perhaps didn't want to be around the other women? In the scriptures she seems excited by the idea that this Man speaking to her could provide her with Living Water so that she wouldn't have to come back the well over and over again. After Jesus tells her of this Living Water she says,

"Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." (John 4:15)

Perhaps the most beautiful part of this story to me is that this was the first time Jesus proclaimed on Earth that he was the Messiah. He was not surrounded by a large crowd. There were no wealthy or important people around. Simply, a humble woman doing a mundane household church. Those who anticipated the Messiah's coming expected Him to come down in reigning power, freeing them from the tyranny of kings and rulers. Are we surprised that the Messiah, who was born in a humble stable, who was a humble carpenter's son, who didn't know where His next meal would come from, nor where He would lay His head, would proclaim His identity to a humble woman doing a humble task? No. It seems perfectly appropriate that this humble Son of Man would declare His divinity in such a humble setting.

Why was the woman at the well so quick to believe on His words? It's inspiring to me that this woman didn't even question Jesus. She knew right away that what He had said was true. I believe this has a lot to say about the state of this woman's spirit. Whether she truly understood what Jesus meant by the Living Water or not, her Spirit seems to have already been desiring truth and light. She seemed wearied by the task of drawing water every day.

But why was she so spiritually parched? Why did she so desperately desire this Living Water? Maybe her water pots were getting in the way of her spiritual progression. Maybe she was caught up in the chains of sin and was desperately needing help when Jesus came and freed her from those chains. Maybe she was burdened by the judgement of others, and when Christ came she was able to walk away from the fear of what others thought of her. Perhaps she was overwhelmed with the small, daily tasks that consumed her time, and when the Savior came she was able to lift her head above the water of the well and finally partake of the pure, Living Water. Don't we also see these things in ourselves? Do we get caught in the cycle of drawing water from sources that cannot sustain us? Or do we draw from the Living Water that will sustain us forever?

The woman then left her water pot...(John 4:28). 

Whatever the water pot may be, how do we so easily walk away from it like the woman at the well?

It wasn't until the Savior came to her at the well that this woman was able to leave behind her water pot. We cannot do this life alone. Heavenly Father knew that the going would be tough. He knew we would accumulate these burdensome water pots throughout our lives, which is why He provided us with a Savior to help us loosen our grasp and eventually forsake our water pots all together. The ability to leave our water pots comes from recognizing our dependence on Jesus Christ and inviting Him into our life. The woman at the well seemed ready for truth and understanding. She was thirsty for the power of God to enter her life. Can we say the same about ourselves? Do we crave the words of the scriptures or the peace of the temple? Do we do all in our power to put ourselves in situations where the Lord can speak to us and help us?

I invite each of us to consider the water pots in our lives and how we can call upon our Savior to help us walk away from them in order to more fully fulfill our potential.

Simply, 
Kenzie M