June 23, 2024 Devo

June 23rd, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
“The Woman at the Well”
Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. – John 4:6-8 (NLT)
“The Power of Vulnerability”

If I were to ask you to use some words to describe Jesus, what would you say? Powerful? Healer? Compassionate? King? All of those would certainly be accurate. But how about this word: Vulnerable. Is that a word that comes to mind?
It hit me when I read our passage today that Jesus made Himself vulnerable right from the beginning. Born a human baby, dependent on His parents like all babies are. He wasn’t afraid to admit when He needed to get away from doing the work of ministry and spend time with His Father. He wasn’t afraid to admit when He needed to rest. He wasn’t afraid to let others help Him, take care of Him, or provide for Him. Now we find Him sitting at a well, and He asks a Samaritan woman if she would please give Him a drink. Why would He do that?
Vulnerability disarms people. It lets them know that they are needed, valuable, and have significance. It validates them. Jesus could have just created His own water. He didn’t. He could have told this woman He was an important Rabbi and asked if she would like the privilege of waiting on Him. He didn’t. He could have shamed her into serving Him or demanded that she serve Him. But He didn’t. The King of Kings simply smiled at this sinful woman and asked her if she would be so kind as to give Him a drink. His vulnerability with her was what opened the door to a life-changing conversation with her.
How about YOU? Do you talk down to people, or are you vulnerable with them? Do you make demands of your spouse and children, or do you politely ask them for their help? Do you talk down to your waiter or waitress, get short with the clerk at the store, or make demands of the person in customer service? Do you threaten them with your power, your influence, or your business? How do you think it might change your interactions this week if you powered-down a bit and simply said to people, “Could you help me, please?” Maybe the reason we don’t have life-changing conversations with people is because we tend to talk “at” people rather than “with” them. Give people value through being vulnerable with them, and just see how that changes things. Vulnerability opens doors. That’s God’s Word for you today.