Listen to today’s devo!

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:26)

Expanded Passage: John 4:4-26, 39

Sometimes I’ll use a funny anecdote while teaching to make a point. The story will later be recounted by a student without any reference to why I told the story. Pastors stand at the church exit hoping that the sermon had some profound impact on the attendees, only to hear how the illustration they used reminded someone of something unrelated to the intended topic. We get so wrapped up in our own busy thoughts that we don’t always see the truth that is right in front of us.

There are many distractions in the story of the woman at the well. Did Jesus go through Samaria because it was a shortcut, or did he have divine knowledge? Was she there during the day because she was ostracized, or was it the first opportunity she had to fetch water? Was she divorced five times because she was a sinner, a widow, or did she just have bad luck, since a man could write a certificate of divorce if he disliked his wife (Deut. 24:3)?

The Samaritan woman acknowledged the coming Messiah, to which Jesus responds, “I am he.” Don’t become distracted and miss the point. When sharing the good news, our purpose should be aligned with John’s purpose—“that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:31).

Share your belief so that others might live.

Priscilla Hammond is an ordained pastor and associate professor in the Benson School of Business at Southern Wesleyan University (SC).

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.