October 4 I Monday

Isaiah 20-22

Ephesians 6

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” —1 Corinthians 3:7

When Jesus and His disciples were going from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north, they went through Samaria. Jesus was tired and He sat by a well, while He sent His disciples into town to buy food. After the disciples left, a woman came to draw water and Jesus engaged in conversation with her. Jesus told the woman that He could give her living water where she would never thirst again; it was the water of eternal life. When the disciples came back, they were surprised to see Jesus talking to this woman, because Samaritans and Jews had no dealings with each other. 

       As the woman went back to her town to tell people of the man she met by the well, Jesus said to His disciples, “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35). Jesus was reprimanding His disciples, telling them to open their eyes to see the harvest field. At the surface, Jesus sent His disciples to buy food, but He wanted to see if their eyes were open to see someone whose heart was ready and open for Him. They saw this woman on the road, but they did not see her. They did not wonder why she came in the heat of the day to draw water (because she was rejected). They did not put the pieces together. They simply passed and forgot her. 

       Have we ever thought of the people that we cross paths with? As God lays people on our hearts, it is not at random. He is involved; trust Him and follow the clues. He will put us in touch with the right people at the right time. Jesus told His disciples, “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour” (John 4:38). In other words, other people had been sowing seeds in the Samaritan woman’s life. We have no idea who those people were or what seeds were sown, but we do know that people rarely come to Christ completely out of the blue.

       There is no other means by which the gospel spreads. God has entrusted its spread to ordinary people like us who take the time, open our eyes and tell people. Even the most “unlikely” of people that we cross paths with may be the ones whom God is sending us to share the good news with. Whom can we share the gospel with today?

Prayer: Dear God, may You open my eyes to see that the fields are ripe for harvest. Give me the courage to share with a family member or a friend about Your gospel today. Thank You, Lord.