The New Woman At The Well

The New Woman t the Well John 4: 1-42

This is a monologue envisioning the changed life of the woman of Sychar who met Jesus by Jacob’s well. It is interesting to note that this Gentile was the first person to bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah. Don’t you just know that she kept doing so the rest of her life.

Following the monologue is an application section stressing our need to also share our faith and – in view of the woman at the well - dealing with people’s excuses for not sharing. The monologue is original to me. The application section was adapted from a sermon I found on SermonCentral; sadly I forget the author of that sermon – but thank you. Feel free to use and adapt this monologue as you wish.

Themes in this monologue and application are: Forgiveness and witness.

John Salley – Bedford Presbyterian Church, Bedford, VA. 4/3/2014

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Well … you sure picked a hot and lonely place to sit down

In the middle of the day especially!

No one comes out to this well in the middle of the day …. Anymore.

Then why am I here?

Because I saw you.

And I knew you would be thirsty, probably lonely too.

You see, I was once one of those people who regularly came out to this well in the middle of the day; I know what it feels like to be thirsty and lonely.

So, these days I just keep an eye on the well especially around mid-day,

in case anyone - such as yourself - shows up …. needing water.

My house? It sits right over there, (if you shade your eyes and you can just see it) To the left there, on the edge of the town –

Years ago, I lived on the edge of town for other reasons –

but now, it’s perfect, because I can look out my window and just see the well … see if anyone, like yourself, might be sitting out here.

But you’re thirsty -- I know

and you couldn’t find a pitcher to reach down into the well --

Nothing with which to quench your thirst.

Here let me pull up some water for you.

No they never leave a pitcher here. The town fathers said they’re afraid someone might steal it – which is just plain silly. Here being so far off the highway, if anyone did steal the pitcher they’d get tired of just carrying it around.

Truth to tell, I think the people of Sychar

still want to send a message to strangers to keep on moving.

Sadly, some things never change,

you’d think they would know better by now - at least a few of them.

Besides, it gives me something to do.

So if I see someone out here

I come out, bring my pitcher,

and some water with anyone passing by….

Why? I’ll tell you in just a bit. Here, drink, and refresh yourself.

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But for the most part this town still keeps to itself, rather private like.

They think, since no one wants to know us, we don’t want to know them.

Jews at least, this being Samaria and all.

Because no proper self-respecting Jew would even dare come this way;

yes it is a shortcut – a straight shot from Jerusalem to Galilee.

But hatred and bigotry are as old Noah and still quite alive.

So most Jews will walk 40 miles out of their way

Adding two extra days to their travels

– just so as not to dirty their feet with Samaritan soil….

By the way where are you from?

Oh … You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.

I know a good bit about you just looking at you.

Like what?

I know that you are lost, lonely, thirsty,

and you are thinking its better just to stay a stranger.

We’ll leave it at that for right now; but things can change, I know.

How about I tell you a story while we rest here a bit.

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There once was another stranger who showed up here many years back,

around noon, just sitting out here all alone - about where you’re sitting.

You could tell he was a Jew from some distance – just by the way he carried himself.

A Rabbi even, and of some importance! His clothes gave that away.

So did his disciples as they scurried past me like so many scared rabbits –

headed into town looking for something kosher to eat …. Good luck with that.

You could tell they wished they were back on the Hebrew Highway

They looked like uptown kids on the wrong side of the tracks on a Saturday night.

So there he sat this Jewish Rabbi - by our town well