Well, Well, Well

I attended a local conference yesterday sponsored by the Anti-Racist Curriculum Project (through Pathstone). It was such a powerful gathering of local educators, parents, community members, etc. who were trying to think about what anti-racism means and how it is embodied in our schools and in this community.

The morning keynote was from Dr. Chris Emdin (https://chrisemdin.com/) and he is a very charismatic speaker. During his talk, among the many things he said, was that in life we will all encounter 3 groups of people.  “Elevators” – people who will push our buttons but are trying to get us to rise to a new level. “Haters” – who dislike that we have the position we have, know what we know or are doing what we’re doing and are jealous. And “suckers” – people who just critique everything and are doing nothing to make change happen.

Certain people may come to mind for each of these categoies! But let’s hold this thought for a minute as we unpack the gospel.

We hear from John’s gospel today about the “woman at the well.”  She is a Samartian woman who has gone to fetch water and encounters Jesus there. They have a dialogue that, I can only imagine, liberated both of them in some ways.  We traditionally think about the woman being liberated, but, I would submit, that Jesus gets liberated from some things as well.

As always, context can help us understand some things more deeply. 

By Jesus’ time, Samaritans and Jews were considered enemies. Even though they started as the same group of people, they became at odds when Israel was divided into a Northern and Southern kingdom (somewhere between around 930 and 970 BCE). The Southern kingdom was called Judah, and this is where Jesus originates from.

Jesus and his crew are passing through Samaria, and he stops at a well for water while the disciples go into town.  Biblical hearers of this story would know that wells are significant – Abraham’s servant encounters Rebekah, the future wife of Isaac at a well, Jacob meets Rachel at a well and Moses welcomes Zipporah as his wife at a well. In all these cases, the people at the well changed history.  See where this is going?

And this woman is quite full of surprises.  First off, she’s alone.  This is not a wise or safe move for a woman in her time, but there she is. Secondly, she talks to Jesus.  Women were not supposed to do this, let alone question him! Finally, she goes toe to toe with Jesus and does not just accept what he says. In fact, she comes off as more of a dialogue partner than the disciples often do and seems to push Jesus deeper into his own identity and purpose.

Of course the disciples come back and are just dumbfounded with what’s going on.  Why is Jesus talking to this woman? She’s a Samaritan, and a woman.  What could she possibly have to say to Jesus? And then she goes off and tells her village of the whole encounter, and because she is so compelling the people of her village invite Jesus and the disciples to stay for two days. Now that is a social influencer!

You may already be drawing your own conclusions about today’s readings (which I hope you are). I have a few thoughts on what I take away.

First off, the folks on the margins (economic and social) have a lot to teach us if we’re open to it.  And specifically, women have a lot to teach us – women here in this country, women in our families and neighborhoods, women around the world. The disciples can’t see this, but Jesus can. The woman at the well is an “elevator” for Jesus – challenging him and taking him to a new level.  I think she actually helps him understand and articulate his mission in a new way. And he also serves as an elevator for her, but we might expect that. Jesus (like the disciples) could have assumed that this woman had nothing to teach him, but how they both “show up” in this encounter makes something new possible for each of them.  We can do the same in our lives – and especially by listening to the lives and experiences of women.

Secondly, they each seem to participate in what Dr. Emdin called a “pedagogy of affirmation.” It’s a fancy way of saying that they poured into each other in a way that helped the other get free.  This is ours to do with each other – to really see the other in front of us – and to both speak and act in ways that help them get free.

Thirdly, the faith life requires some boldness.  We gotta go to wells.  We need to ask questions and encounter challenge.  And we have to take what we’re learning back to some of the hardest places to show up – our families and neighborhoods.

And finally, humility is required for our discipleship. I can imagine the disciples grumbling, “How come she’s allowed to talk with him and do this stuff? Who does she think she is?” (this would be the “haters” that Dr. Emdin mentioned!) The Spirit moves in a lot of ways, and just as it is moving through us it can move through others as well.  We need to stay open to God’s work in the world because it may not be happening where we think it is and it may not be sanctioned by those who think they are doing it.

So for today, go to the well.  Encounter Jesus for yourself.  Listen to women. Go back and tell others what you have encountered. Pour into others that they may be free. Be an elevator and find others who can do that for you.