Two Women, an Apostle, and a Fish
By Ron Petrocco
“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by His journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’”
John 4: 6-7
This simple passage is a treasure because it shows Jesus asking someone for a practical, mundane gift, a drink of water. The Holy Spirit has filled the four Gospels with diverse images of Jesus and each one has deep wisdom in it. This one in particular makes it clear that when we least expect it, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may ask us for practical, mundane assistance. What could be less glamorous than a drink of water? Yet on another occasion Jesus capped a profound teaching with a reference to a cup of water freely given:
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent Me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet receives a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Matthew 10: 40-42
Jesus appreciates our gifts. If ever we had any doubt, let it be put to rest by this following passage, in which Jesus informs us, or perhaps commands us with His omnipotent will, that a woman’s pious offering, perhaps extravagant but humble and adoring nonetheless, will be immortalized in story and commemorated for all eternity:
“While He was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on His head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for Me. For the poor you have with you always, and you can show them kindness whenever you wish, but you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’”
Mark 14: 3-9
Are there any practical, mundane gifts our Lord Jesus might welcome from us? Is there perhaps an extravagant yet humble, adoring, pious offering our Lord Jesus might deeply appreciate? If we’re unsure, maybe this odd little tale, often overlooked in the Gospels, might encourage us to go fishing in unknown waters, remembering that even Jesus paid his bills, and the Apostles helped:
“The collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?’ He said, ‘Yes, He does.’ And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tribute? From their children or from others?’ When Peter said, ‘From others,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and Me.’”
Matthew 17: 24-27
There may be a coin in the belly of a fish just waiting for your hook. Will you cast your line boldly and trust in Jesus? And if indeed you find a coin, will you spend at least a portion of it on behalf of Him who guided your hook?
The first three passages teach us three lessons:
The fourth passage teaches us three more lessons:
Often when we ponder our relationship with Jesus, we focus on activities we perceive as highly spiritual, such as prayer, reading scripture, and receiving Holy Communion. And we do well in this, for these are certainly among the activities of a disciple. But are there other activities besides these that help define discipleship? Yes, certainly, there are practical, mundane activities that Jesus appreciates and rewards, often having to do with paying the money society demands, perhaps via resources we never knew we had, resources that seem miraculous to us.
I pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that He will reveal to you these unexpected resources and clarify in your mind how best to put what He reveals to good use in His service. Amen.