(August 20-31, I'll be blogging through I Blame Eve: Freedom from Perfectionism, Control Issues, & the Tendency to Listen to Talking Snakes by Susanna Foth Aughtmon and giving away a FREE copy weekly!)
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In pray-paring to share Wednesday's blog post for staff worship, I was drawn to John 4:28 (NLT)
"The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone..."
and it hit me that
I want to be a woman who leaves her jar at the well.
I don't carry a literal jar, of course. But do I ever lug an agenda to the well!An agenda I fill to overflowing with ways to meet my needs.
An agenda under which I stagger a bit more with each step.
An agenda brimming with plans for
- trying hard so that I'll be seen as competent by my colleagues.
- trying hard so that I'll keep my bosses happy.
- trying hard so that my kids will be well-adjusted.
- trying hard so that my marriage will survive.
I want to be a woman who leaves her jar at the well.
Who encounters Jesus, talks with Jesus, listens to Jesus, and leaves without her agenda...
...because in my excitement, I've forgotten all about it!
...because if I bring it, I can't possibly run fast enough!
...because I've given it to Him to use as He sees fit.
I want to be a woman who leaves her jar at the well.
Too many times, I've tried the running-with-the-full-jar routine.
Tripped.
Fallen.
Landed soaking wet, among broken shards. Too many times.
I want to be
a wife
a mother
a teacher
who leaves her jar at the well.
Who runs pell-mell to town, calling, "Come see! Come see! Come see!"
because I can't wait for
my husband
my children
my students
to hear
Jesus
and know
Jesus
for themselves.
Your Turn:
- What does it mean for you to "leave your jar at the well"?
- What does "trying so that" look like in your life?
- What might living "because" look like instead?
- Anything else on your heart!
