“And Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, ‘Give me a drink;’ thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” John 4:10
It might have been a warm day when Jesus, weary from his journey, sat on the well in Samaria being thirsty. What makes this scene so very important is the fact, as John records it, “…he must needs go through Samaria.” (3:4) Why was it so important for Jesus to pass through Samaria? The answer resides in a woman who came to draw water from the well at that very moment. It must be said at this point that this meeting was not meant only to save this Samaritan woman in her need, but to testify to the world thereafter of the great Giver of every good and perfect gift. Though the Jews of that day, as the woman told Jesus, ‘…had no dealings with the Samaritans,’ this Jewish man would address her very directly, and truthfully, with absolutely no prejudice. His message to her was the same as that which would resound through the centuries to every soul that is thirsty for that which is eternal, specifically Life eternal. Christ’s manner of dealing with the woman, avoiding entirely the matter of Him being a Jew and her a Samaritan, spoke to her of a gift. It was a particular gift, as He put it, “…a gift of God.” In Jesus’ manner of dealing with the woman, He did not leave her just with the knowledge of a gift from heaven. He then spoke to her of authority and power, and the revealed will of God, to realize the offering and reception of the gift in her. The woman needed to know first about the gift, and then to recognize the gift-Giver, God. With the knowledge of these two things, the gift and the Giver, Christ gives to the woman a promise with a condition. The condition is a prayer to God for Him to give such a gift, and then, the faith to receive it. That which Christ offers this woman is not of this world, this creation, for it is much more than the physical water that she came out to the well to draw. This is “living water,” water that communicates the life of God, in Jesus Christ, by the Spirit.
In changing our perspective slightly, we find not only does this principle apply concerning “knowing the gift” of living water, eternal Life, then knowing the Giver, and believing the promise of God to receive it, but it also applies to the specific gifts given by God to be used in His service for His glory. The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, speaking of “spiritual gifts,” that, “…the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:7,8) Paul goes on to specifically name other gifts, though the list here is not complete. To the Roman believers, he would write: “…for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (11:29) God does not take His gifts back. So then, what is the believer to do, according to the will and purpose of God, in response to receiving his specific gift(s)?
In Samaria Jesus told the woman that which she did not know. He then proceeded to lead her into a knowledge of it, taking care to communicate to her that she was dealing with God, a God who was faithful, not only to reveal the gift, but to communicate it to her, by which she should live.
Later, Paul would write to Timothy concerning God’s gifts: “…Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” (1 Timothy 4:14) In his second letter, he would continue writing: “…stir up the gift of God.’ (2 Tim.1:6) Finally, Timothy is to “…keep by the Holy Spirit,” that good thing committed unto him. (2:14)
Dear Father, Enable us to use well Thy life-giving gifts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.