No One Saw This Coming

By Amy Kopecky

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4:26

It turns out that a trip to Trader Joe’s was one of the highlights of my day. Not because I love food and the quirky vibe (I do), but because one of the workers recognized me. He said it was good to see my face after all the crazy and asked me about the kids. They were small words with a person I don’t even know, but I walked out of the store with a smile on my face. Why? I had been seen. 

Do you feel seen? 

Maybe you’re laughing. Maybe I’m alone in my extreme response to what used to be a multiple-times-a-day experience for humankind. But unfortunately I think this is the current norm for many people. These days it’s easy to hole up in our homes and not make the effort to reach out, whether out of our own need or a desire to meet a need. It’s easy to escape into an Instagram scroll or video game or substance or even a book. We live a lot of our lives undercover, out of view of even the family under our own roof. It may be convenient at times to live unseen, and sometimes we even go out of our way to hide. But this certainly isn’t the way to thrive. We were made in the image of God—to belong and to be seen. 

I imagine the Samaritan woman walked with a bowed head. Hunched over. Afraid to look people in the eyes for fear of being judged. She was the woman people didn’t talk to because they might be judged for talking to her. After all, she had five husbands and was living with a man she wasn’t married to.

But Jesus saw her. 

In fact, he didn’t just see her, he CHOSE her. 

He made a divine appointment to be at Jacob’s Well that day to meet her and ask for a drink. In a moment that must have absolutely shocked and embarrassed her, he told her he knew about everything she had ever done. In this case, she probably didn’t think being seen was a good thing. Yet, at the end of their emotional talk (it’s a really good talk. You should check it out in John 4:4-26) it comes to this: 

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he” (John 4:25-26). 

He chooses HER to be the first person he reveals himself to as the Messiah.

WHAT?!?!

No one saw this coming. 

The woman certainly didn’t see the Messiah coming her way that day. 

Do you? 

Jesus is speaking to not just the Samaritan woman, but to you. He is your Messiah, too. He is your Maker, Savior, and Friend, and he sees all of you. He knows about your unspoken dreams, ugly sins, quirky habits, broken heart—he even sees when you trip on the sidewalk cracks and look around hoping no one saw you. He sees all that and he loves all of you. 

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

And now here’s the fun part (and maybe slightly uncomfortable but still very good part): we’re invited to be see-ers with him. To see ourselves and all of God’s other kids as Jesus sees us: dearly loved and in need of a Savior. 

You know what? It just occurred to me that I don’t even know the TJ worker’s name. I think I’m going back to Trader Joe’s this week. 

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Join us tonight at 7:00 in person or online as we watch and discuss the scene of the Samaritan woman as it unfolds in The Chosen series. It’s powerful!