Revised "Woman at the Well"

Scene opens with woman coming on stage carrying some bags of groceries. She sits them down on table and begins taking things out of the bag.

“I always do my grocery shopping later in the day when the rest of the wo men in town have already been and gone. They refuse to speak to me.. I am sure they think I want to steal their husbands. And the truth is, working in

the only bar in town, I do see most of their men every week.  Of course

the men won’t speak to me in public either. No one wants to be seen with someone from the wrong side of the tracks. So my shopping trips are usually pretty quiet.”

Pulls a bottle of water out of bag.

“Today was different though. There was a display of bottled water at the end of one of the aisles. I stopped to get some and noticed there was a man just standing there looking at them. He asked me if I could get a bottle of water for him. I was surprised that he talked to me, he was obviously new in town and didn’t realize who I was. I told him that he needed to buy the bottle first, but he said he didn’t have any money. I thought, of course you don’t – figures. Just another guy looking for a handout. But I told him I would give him one of my waters after I paid for my groceries. I assumed that would be the end of the conversation, and prepared to turn my cart down the aisle, but then I couldn’t resist stopping,  and saying over my shoulder, ‘if you knew who I was you would never have asked me to give you my water’.

He turned to me, looked me straight in the eye, and said – ‘and if you knew who I was, you would be asking me for water that never runs out.’

That got my attention. I stopped and turned back. “ What do you mean, water that never runs out?” I picked up one of the bottles from the cart and held it up. “You don’t even have money to buy this water – how are you going to give me water that never runs out?” I will never forget what he said.

He said, “after you drink that water you will eventually get thirsty again. My water is living water – it takes away thirst and gives eternal life.”

So I said – “give me some of that water then, so I don’t have to keep coming here to buy more.”

Then he said something strange – he told me to get my husband.

I answered, “I don’t have a husband”. Then he said, “You’re right,

you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the guy

you are living with right now.”

I felt my heart start pounding, and my throat begin to tighten up. All of the years of being an outcast started weighing on me, and I stared at him for a minute and said – “So are you some kind of a prophet…. or have you just been following me around? “

Instead of waiting for an answer, I found myself getting defensive and I started to vent my frustration.

I said –“And by the way, if you are some kind of a prophet, here’s a question for you. The big main church in this town won’t even let me darken their door, while the little broken down church up on the hill welcomes me with open arms. So tell me this prophet. Does God hear my worship when it’s coming from that little church, or does he only listen to worship from an “acceptable” church.”

I paused to take a breath, and see his reaction to my outburst.

He was just standing there, looking at me. Looking at me like he could see right through me. But it wasn’t a look of judgment; it was a look of love. He didn’t even know me, but I could see he loved me. It had been so long since anyone had looked me in the eye, let alone with love.. It was like a physical impact on my heart, and for some reason I felt tears come to my eyes. Then he began speaking to me.

“Believe me woman, it doesn’t matter if you worship God in town or up on the mountain.”

I so wanted to believe him, but I had been lied to by men all my life. So I said:

“How do you know what kind of worship God is looking for?”

And he replied, “Believe me, woman…, and he said the word woman as if it was something to be cherished, rather than condemned.  The time is coming when it will no longer matter where you worship. The time is coming; in fact it is now here, when true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth. He is looking for anyone who will worship Him in that way.”

And I just stood there and looked at him.. I wanted to know more, to hear more of what he had to say. I wanted to ask him many more questions. But then a group of men I had never seen before came around the corner and surrounded him, talking excitedly to him. They gave me a quick look, then dismissed me with a glance and led him out of the store with them.

I just stood there for a minute; I had never met anyone like him before. I finally paid for my things and then came straight home – but I can’t stop thinking about meeting him, and the things he said.

It was like he knew me, and yet we had never met. It felt like he could look right through me and see everything I had ever done or thought.. And in spite of that, I saw no condemnation, only love -

And you might think I am crazy, and maybe I am, but I could swear I saw Jesus in his eyes..

You know what? I can’t just keep this to myself. I have to tell someone about him and the things he said. I think I will start with the bar. They know me and will listen to what I say. But then I am going to talk to the others, the ones who won’t even look at me. I will make them look at me,  and I will make them listen. Because I think if there really is a place we can get living water, everyone should have the chance to hear about it.


I found this lovely retelling of the "woman at the well" in today's life.  I was so moved by it, that I wanted to share with others.  I contacted the blog owner and was told that I could share.  You will find it at www.thelittlebrownhouse.us.  Be sure to go by and visit.