John 4:39

And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all the things that I ever did.

THE HARVEST IN SAMARIA

The secret of all soul-winning is that of making oneself of "no reputation," even as did our Lord (Philippians 2:7 KJV); and one can only marvel at this woman's willingness to make the exposition of her shameful life the principal evidence that would lead a city to the Lord. It must not be thought for a moment that her mere statement, "He told me all the things that I ever did," would have been enough to turn out a whole city to see Jesus. Not at all. Such a statement would have had to be followed up with a statement of "what things" he had told; and it may be assumed that, regardless of the woman's standing in the eyes of her neighbors, or regardless of what any of them knew about her, there were areas of the Saviour's revelation that laid bare the dark secrets of her soul; yet she unflinchingly cried out the message to all who would hear it. At the very least, the witness was such as publicized and blazed abroad the sordid details of her life to the total community. No one can look upon this as a small thing that she did.

The turnout of this city to accept Jesus Christ was a stark contrast with the snobbish rejection of the Lord by the hierarchy in Jerusalem. Here, quite early in the Saviour's ministry, was wholesale evidence that the Gentiles would turn to the Lord when they received the opportunity. This overwhelming display of affection for Jesus in Samaria should have been a warning to Israel that the day of grace was running out for them, and that the times were hastening to the day foretold by God through Moses when it was prophesied that "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you" (Deuteronomy 32:31).