OH, THE LANGUAGE in the King James Version today perfectly paints the unlikely scene before surprised eyes and raised eyebrows. One of those wonderfully unexpected conversations that’s like an entire anthology of exquisite poetry, a whole deep well to be plumbed, in just a few lines.

Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. - John 4.13-15

Never the twain were supposed to meet, let alone find themselves discussing the slaking of the deepest human thirst. But what human persons suppose should happen and what – by God’s grace – actually happens are often two quite different things. A man and a woman, sitting on a wall, engaged in conversation about the deepest human need of all.

The depth of this poetry calls us to look – to draw water – inside, not “come hither to draw” – here, in public view, outside. And there, inside, Love’s living water is to be found “springing up”. Man or woman, Samaritan or Jew, me or you, quenched thirst requires a drawing on inner life first.

The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. – John 4.23-24

The breath of God, together with “living water springing up”, made of you and me, and she and he, “living temples to God’s glory”. And that’s an even song to bring a smile to your countenance. No wonder the richly blessed (yes, Samaritan) woman hot-footed it home from the well crying “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”. Even in Lent it’s enough to make you rejoin with an Alleluia!

See also David Herbert, Understanding Samaritans