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Bad Girl Teaches Us to Pray August 11, 2008 By Robin
Christian It is often said that well-behaved women seldom make history. The Bible often shows this to be true. Eve made history by bringing sin into the world and adding to the word of God. Rahab the prostitute made history by hiding the spies; she saved her entire family. I can almost see the looks that the mother of Jesus received when she announced her pregnancy and started showing (even though it was an immaculate conception). There are more (Miriam, Abigail, and Deborah) that did things that the men of their time looked down upon--but sometimes the men just wouldn't pick up what God needed done!
Speaking of Ill-behaved Women My favorite “bad girl” of the Bible is the woman at the well. She had been married five times and had the nerve to ask why a Jew (Jesus) would ask a Samaritan to give Him a drink since Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. No, there aren't too many women in the Bible who had the nerve to question a man about what she was told to do. That is just the way it was, and while you can call it what you want, cultures still differ all over the world. Certainly God wasn't and isn't a respecter of persons and would and will use anyone to do any job that He needs accomplished--think of Deborah's being a judge and a prophet. Yet God used the Samaritan woman in two special ways.
The Gospel of John 4:1-6 tells us how Jesus stopped at Jacob's well just outside of a city in Samaria called Sychar. He was tired and the disciples went into the city to get meat. The person we know as the woman at the well approached and Jesus said to her, “Give me to drink.” This woman did not know to whom she was talking. She did realize that He wasn't from around Samaria, and she did know that He was a Jew.
She didn't mince any words, and I highly doubt that she cared what anyone thought of her. The whole town knew about her, so what did she have to lose by just saying what she wanted to say, regardless of the prevailing culture? Think about it: back in the days of our Lord's earthly ministry; divorce was a big deal. This woman had been married five times. At this point, we can make one of two assumptions: she just didn't care anymore what people thought about her or she didn't make very good choices--perhaps even both.
Her response to Him was: “Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria ? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9).
What does this
tell us about Samaritan culture? Maybe her behavior was common
for her society, but it obviously wasn't customary for the Jews.
The Jews separated themselves, and held the precepts of the law.
Really, she was asking, “Why do you want anything from me?
I'm beneath you and your people never have contact with my
people. You should be running the other way and screaming--not
wanting me to give you a drink.” We women are a funny bunch,
we may say one thing, but in our minds, we are often breaking it
down to the bare minimum. Becoming the Samaritan Woman The Lord knows all of the thoughts in our head, and He knows the intention of our heart. Yet why is it that we struggle so much to pray? Some will say it is because we cannot find the words. Others will say they don't think they should pray for themselves. Then there are those that feel both of the above ways and just feel completely inhibited when it comes to talking to God.
It's then we should become the Samaritan Woman and just say what's in our hearts and on our minds. Hebrews 13:15 tells us that we should continually offer up the sacrifice of praise. Those who have ever been through a trial or a tribulation understand that sometimes it does feel like a sacrifice to lift up praise. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you; it just means you are human--like my favorite biblical bad girl.
© 2008, Robin
Christian ---------- Robin Christian
is a married mother of three living in Oklahoma. A writer
and a scholar, she is pursuing her degree in Paralegal Studies
while working full-time at the University of Oklahoma. When
not busy juggling all the hot irons she keeps in the fire, she likes
to crochet pink bunny slippers for any naked feet that pass her
way. |
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