After the Samaritan woman has admitted her desire for living water Jesus shows her another lesson that is important to us. She learns that faith in Christ is more than just an insurance policy, or something to make us feel good. Faith in Christ is a call to action. Jesus shows this in John 5:16:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.”
Jesus has witnessed to the woman, and she has accepted to truth. Now he commands her to follow His example, and witness herself. He acted, and wants her to act. This is true of all those who accept Christ. He did not call us to fill up pews. He did not call us to sit in hallowed halls, and debate matters of the Bible among ourselves. He did not call us to condemn, or to think we are better than everyone else because we know Jesus. He calls us to go, call, and come.
Jesus teaches us here how vitally important it is for us to act on the faith we claim. We need to witness to the truth. James spells it out for us in his book, and teaches that faith without works is dead. Jesus calls the woman to immediately act on this faith that she does not yet fully understand. He does not tell her to wait until she’s gone to seminary, or to wait until she’s studied, and come to a more full understanding of what faith is. He wants her to act now. Once again, the same is true of us.
Every reason we use for not trying to reach the lost is just an excuse. Jesus knows we’re not perfect. We wouldn’t need Him if we were. Our lack of perfection doesn’t matter. He is perfect, and He resides within us once we accept Him. We are prepared to reach others the moment we accept Him because the Holy Spirit within us is always ready to speak through us. Don’t hide behind excuses. Listen to the command of Jesus. Go, call, and come.
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