It's Complicated

Clearly the man was real and not a figment of her imagination or the trick of the blistering sun.  As real as the well was real and as real as her thirst. And His thirst.

But, the moment she heard Him speak – Would you give Me a drink - she forgot all about the well, and the empty bucket in her hand and her thirst as well as His.

The man spoke with an unmistakable accent.  He was a Jew!

This instantly complicated the matter. As borders and nationalities tend to complicate matters in general.

The Israelis and the Palestinians.

Russians and Ukrainians.

Serbs and Albanians.

You can pick just about any border and suddenly things get complicated. And it’s much better to keep the safe distance because it can get really really messy and really really complicated really really fast.

And, in this case, it was as messy and complicated as it gets.

But the Man didn't stay away.

He didn't keep a safe distance. He intentionally, deliberately took this detour

How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans. John 4:9

A Jew. A Samaritan.

A man. A woman.

This Man, however, didn’t seem to care. 

He didn’t appear to be concerned about the appearances.

He didn’t seem to be afraid to get close – as close as His lips on her bucket.  

This man is criss-crossing every line there is back and forth.  He is pushing the envelope beyond anything this woman ever experienced around any other man, Jew or Samaritan.

The woman shifts her weight from one leg to another.

What's his deal? She wonders, not realizing it's only going to get even more interesting.