I Am No One

John 4

I am no one. My father is gone, I have no brothers and I have no sons. I have been disgraced by man after man. They have left me to be destitute. They have cast me into sin. The man I am with now will not even marry me. I am no one.

The judgment of my people is on me. I am a sinful women. I must go at the heat of the day to fetch still water to drink because people shame me and do not want to associate with me. I am no one, and no one will have me.

As I approach the well I see a man. He asks me for water. What is a Jew doing in Samaria? What is he doing speaking with me? “You ask me for water?” I say. He tells me that if I knew who he was, I would ask him for water, and he would  give me living water that will forever quench my thirst. What is this water? He has no pail to gather water from the well. We are in the middle of no where.  Does he think himself greater than our father Jacob who built this well?

“Who are you? Show me this water of yours.” He tells me to go get my husband. “Sir”, I say, “I have no husband.” “I know”, he says, “you have had 5 husbands and the man you sleep with now is not your husband.” How does this man know me? I have been abandoned 5 times because they were displeased with me, and I  could not give them sons. “You are a prophet?” I ask. “ We are waiting for the messiah”. He tells me: “I am this messiah”. I cannot  believe this, this man, the messiah, has come to speak with me?

Lord God, you are the God who sees me even though I am no one.