The Fallacy of the Inconsequential Person

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

Let’s talk about the person that doesn’t seem to matter. They are written off by society, marginalized, and deemed “inconsequential.” They may have less or be of a lower socioeconomic status. This marginalized person sees the true colors of others through how they are treated when others believe they are lesser. But what if I told you this person does not exist in my eyes? I believe we all matter because Jesus loved us all. In this 8-part series, I will share examples of God showing and giving men and women value. However, before we jump into the example, I want to explain why The Fallacy exists in the first place.

When Jesus was asked which of the 10 commandments was the most important to follow “he answered and said, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27). If the world followed these two laws the inconsequential person would be a fallacy in everyone’s eyes as well. There would be no need for important social movements such as BLACK LIVES MATTER. In Jesus, there is no place for racism.

The Savior of the world seeks even those considered unlikely candidates.

In John 4, we see such a case. Jesus engages a woman full of guilt over her life’s decisions at a time she was not expecting.

1. A Life of Shame turned into a life for His Glory.
In the early hours of the morning, the final man was probably sneaking out of her
house. What would the women say about her if they saw him leaving her home? Not
much, they already knew she was a prostitute, and she had become a local celebrity.
Her name remained on the lips of gossipers, some of whom she had no idea existed.
She had lost every sense of self-respect. No one thought she could have gotten any
better. To religious folk, it was impossible to believe that such a woman could be of any significance, for they detested her.

The woman frequented Jacob’s well at noon on purpose. She scheduled her day
when they were no people to avoid the pain of shame. You can imagine her initial
reaction when she saw and heard Jesus, a Jewish teacher, speak. At the time, it was
socially awkward for a Jew to talk to a Samaritan publicly, let alone a rabbi speaking
with a Samaritan woman on spiritual matters; being a Samaritan woman and an
immoral woman would have automatically disqualified her from hearing the good
news, yet Jesus does not exclude her. And He doesn’t reject you either. Jesus, full of
mercy, took the time to explain the gospel to her.

It is Written…

⁷ A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ⁸ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. ⁹ Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. ¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

John 4:7-10 NKJV

Her conversation with Jesus is an example of God’s unconditional love and purpose
for all people. In Jeremiah 1:5, God responds to young Jeremiah’s doubt with,
“Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you.” Dozens of such biblical
images remind us of the vivid truth that, ‘Nobody is useless in the hands of God.”
God seeks out all the people just like He did the Samaritan woman. In God’s eyes, no
one is too far gone. God divinely orchestrated their encounter, for this wasn’t the
regular route the Jews took to Galilee. The disciples were absent, and there was no
other people near the well, indicating God’s meticulous plan to have a private
conversation with the woman. It was necessary because an important woman was
stranded and in need of assistance. And unbeknownst to her, the entire community
relied on this woman’s testimony to repent and turn to Jesus.

The Ultimate Author
We can introduce Jesus to any person who struggles with self-acceptance and esteem. However, reception on our end is the tricky part, especially when society has labeled us “too far gone.” When the woman believed the words of Jesus, her pot got heavy both literally and metaphorically. Before she felt empty, but Jesus filled her longing heart with everything she needed. He filled her with healing, self-esteem, and love. He gave her a new purpose- a divine purpose. For our souls are restless until we find peace in Jesus. My old slogan was “If your soul is restless this is where you can find peace” before changing it to “Where the inconsequential person is a Fallacy. 

Consumed with a newfound way of life, she ran to the city and shouted, “Come and see!” A woman whose dignity was diminished became a force that none could withstand- even those who talked ill against her. By meeting the ultimate author her story forever changed. He knows the importance of everyone when no one else does. When faced with the choice to listen to the voice of hope or despair, choose hope.