Read

³⁹Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹And because of his words many more became believers. ⁴²They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.

John 4:39-42

Devotional

When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well in John’s Gospel, He spoke words of love, life, truth, and forgiveness. Her life was immediately and radically changed. Leaving her water jar behind, she went back to town and told the people that she knew to “come and see.” She was so grateful and elated that her encounter with Jesus had been so spiritually powerful that she wanted them to come and see if he was the Messiah that they had been longing for.

Many of those people came to faith in Christ and believed because of her testimony according to vs.39. Then, shortly after that, many more became believers when they met Christ, and he began to speak to them and taught them as well. Her story had a tremendous impact. She didn’t discount her story. Convinced that her heart and soul change had been a direct result of her encounter with Jesus, she could not remain silent. Obviously, she wanted the people that she cared about to experience what she had just experienced and to meet who she had just met.

Her story led to new stories. Those new stories led to more. One changed life led to ongoing and spreading results. It was a ripple effect.

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Reflect

• The Samaritan woman told people to “come and see” this Jesus. She invited those that she had invested in to “come and see.” Who could you invite to a church worship service or to your small group?
• Imagine the ripple effect from your life to someone specific that is on your “Don’t Discount Your Story” prayer card. Now imagine them inviting someone else after you have invited them.

Pray

• Pray that God would give you the courage to share your story of coming to faith in Christ with someone else. Now, pray that there would be a ripple effect far beyond your sphere of influence.