At the Well: Be Taboo

In my last entry I didn’t even get to when the woman at the well shows up. That happens in John 4:7:

“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.”

All sorts of things are going on here. Much of it has a lot to do with the culture at the time. When we witness to people we are often told to be careful not to violate any cultural rules. While it is often true that working within the culture is the best way to reach the lost it should not be forgotten that witnessing to the truth is far more important than following cultural rules. Jesus made a very strong case for this in this single verse.

In the times of Jesus it was completely taboo for Jesus to do any of the things He did here. It was a cultural rule that a man should never talk to a woman in an uninhabited place with no witnesses. Kenneth E. Bailey’s Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes teaches that this is still taboo today in this part of the world. Jesus should have avoided even making eye contact with her. What culture dictated is Jesus should have gone far off when the woman approached. As a man, a Jew, and a rabbi He never should have spoken with her, looked at her, or even been near her.

But He did. He ignored all these cultural rules and more so that He could witness to her. He did whatever was required so this woman could be made aware of the salvation she could receive through Him. He did whatever he had to, and broke through cultural boundaries so she could be saved. We should follow His example, and be just as concerned with salvation for the lost as Jesus was. Cultural rules are not more important than making sure all people know Jesus. Follow them if you can, but ignore them if you must. Witness to the truth so people can be transformed by it. That is our calling. It’s so stupid when we’re more concerned with not offending than saving the unsaved. It’s better to offend a thousand people than to let one person go to hell who could be saved. Be taboo. Witness.