Who Is the Woman at the Well?

John chapter 4 is a powerful reminder of the Savior's pursuant heart towards those He has loved and called.  It's a beautiful picture of God meeting us right where we are, in the muck and mire of sin, shame, loneliness.

The Samaritan woman walked to the well in the mid of the day, not because she enjoyed a good work out in the heat, but because she knew her reputation and chose to go at a time when she wouldn't be forced into any awkward social experiences.  This time, a man was there, and He wasn't a Samaritan man.

The fact that He even spoke to her was astounding.  They were of different cultures, classes and genders.  But He didn't just speak to her.  No, He asked her for a drink, and then He offered her living water, full knowing who she was and the reputation and burden of sin that she carried.

He challenged her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." She responded that she had no husband.  He then blew her sandals off by basically saying, "Yeah, no kidding.  You've had five husbands and the guy you are with now isn't even your husband."

Hello, large elephant in the room.

It was at that moment that He dealt with her shame and her sin by calling it immediately out into the open.

Then - He offered her living water.  He called her unto Himself.  Right in the thick of her circumstances, sin, blindness and rebellion, He pursued her!

Miley Cyrus walked onto a stage a few nights ago - whom, may I remind you, was one time a professing believer - and she was very much like that woman at the well.

Our society is different.  Rather than avoid the public due to our sin, we tend to display to the public our sin, but ultimately, her needs are exactly the same.  She needs the Savior.

I watched the performance via youtube when the whole thing went viral.  Judge if you must.  It's not that I'm much of an MTV fan, but I have growing kids who will be soon out of my care in public school and since I know that I will not always be there to shelter them from the world, I need to be informed about the world.  (As well as spiritually armed to inform them and guide them through the world.)

Would I recommend my husband to watch it?  Probably not, but I'm guessing, if he did, he'd find it more disturbing than arousing.  In fact, I'd think most men would.

Would I let my children watch it now? That is a firm no.   Do I condone or approve of her behavior?  Absolutely not.  

I'm sure Jesus didn't approve of it either, but, as He has proven, sin has never been an obstacle to the Savior's pursing of a person.  

The bottom line is - She needs the Lord.  She doesn't need us casting stones at her.  (Though we can eliminate her from our television screens.)  She doesn't need us posting a thousand status updates about how trashy she is.  I doubt that will change her behavior or do anything besides emotionally charge the situation.  No.  What she needs is Jesus.

She needs us to look like Jesus.

She needs the friends and family and mentors she has to stand firm and approach her.

She needs accountability.

And she needs us to pray, on our faces, petitioning the Lord for her.  I may never meet her, our paths likely will never cross, but the God of our universe knows the very innermost part of her being.  He created her and longs for her.

Ultimately - it's not poor ratings or a lost (or blossoming) career, it's not how many write up's she received, it's not even how her parents' reacted to the performance (can you imagine being her dad!?).  No, ultimately she is a soul without a Savior, acting out in such a way that our flesh dictates, and one day she will die.  What happened on that stage the other night will be nothing at that moment.  Without the atoning blood of Jesus Christ one lie would send her to hell.  That performance did nothing extra to damn her (this applies to all of us, for that matter).  She needs Jesus.  Period.

My plea is sincere: while we go to all efforts to guard ourselves from the sin that very well could result from her performance (mimicking behaviors, lust, pornography, etc), could we please do more PRAYING for her than COMPLAINING about her?

If I were her (mortified) mother, I'd pray that people would shut their mouths and hit their knees for my daughter.  I would imagine Jesus might feel the same way, as He sits waiting at the well.