Samaritan Woman: Food you know nothing about (John 4:31-38) 5 of 5

Part 5 of a 5 part series on the Samaritan Woman

While the Samaritan woman was fetching her friends...
John 4:31-38 ³¹ Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." ³² But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." ³³ So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" ³⁴ Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.

Food is what nourishes and sustains the body.  So what is Jesus talking about:  "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work"?  This isn't the first time Jesus has said something odd like this about food.  When he was being tested by Satan in the wilderness, Satan told Jesus to turn the stones into food.  Jesus refused saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).  Jesus is comparing food to hearing God's word and doing God's work.  Later Jesus will become this food.  He will take the bread, break it and say, "This is my body broken for you."

Hearing and doing God's work nourishes and sustains. And Jesus himself nourishes and sustains.  On a more mundane note, he seems to be telling the disciples that he can't be bothered with eating dinner right now... this spiritual bread is more important... he has work to do right now.

I wonder, as Jesus is telling the disciples this, if he can see the friends of the Samaritan women coming toward them.  Picture Jesus speaking and motioning to a crowd in the distance, coming out of the town, crossing the fields towards the well.  Perhaps Jesus sees them coming and says to his disciples...

35 Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36 The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

That is the last thing Jesus says before the Samaritans arrive.  This is an unclean group of people - they don't know the right theology and at least some of them are leading immoral lives.  And they are descending on Jesus and his disciples because he is who they have been seeking.  The Messiah has come to proclaim the truth to them - to set their lives straight.  They are the harvest ready to be gathered.  Not the Jews - not right now - these unclean Samaritans are ready to proclaim, "Jesus is the savior of the world!"

Who will you run into today that is seeking Jesus?  As I wrote this blog today, I sat next to a teenager - dark glasses, longish uncombed hair, scruffy 2-day beard, and smoking a cigarette.  We shared a sidewalk table at Starbucks.  He smiled at me and wanted to talk.  He told me he was waiting for friends.  He said he hoped they wouldn't bother me, because sometimes they made a lot of noise.  I liked him right away and told him that I worked better with a lot of noise.  In fact, I really hoped they would sit at our table and make a lot of noise!  And when they came, they were hardly noisy, but I loved listening to them talk.   They are the kind of teens seeking to be more than what society tells them they should seek.  Success as defined by their parents isn't enough - money isn't that meaningful - they want purpose in life!  They are my kind of peeps!  They don't care if they fit into a society has let them down - broken homes, abuse, a school system where one size has to fit all.  These kids are seeking living water and the food that Jesus offers.  They don't know it, but this is what they long for.  Say a prayer for them and for me... I didn't even think about telling them of Jesus until I came home.  I could have... as smart as they were, they would have enjoyed the conversation.  But I will go back on Friday aiming for the same time, same Starbucks and hope they show up at my table again.  I will tell them more about what I am working on this time and see if the Holy Spirit is ready for me to talk about Jesus.

Who do you know that is searching for food that nourishes and sustains the spirit?