Go, call your husband. John 4.16
So much has been made of Jesus’ gentleness with the woman at the well, that it is easy to miss the potential harm of his words. He knew all about her and still he sent her to get the husband he knew she didn’t have. And then, he went on to tell her he knew about all the others, too. Imagine an alternate ending: ashamed and exposed she runs away warning Samaria about “that man who mocked me for all I ever did.” Another evangelical shames the hurting. Thankfully, that’s not the story, but it can be hard to tell if words are cruel or kind.
Our people’s desire to be loved, as well as our own, obscures Christ’s blunt and sometimes severe ways with people, even wounded women like our sister at the well.
Ministry without kindness is not Christlike, but kindness can be a trickster. Gentle patience always seems loving and usually is, but kindness that never exposes sin is cruel. Our people’s desire to be loved, as well as our own, obscures Christ’s blunt and sometimes severe ways with people, even wounded women like our sister at the well. So be gentle, but not only gentle. Be patient, but not only patient. Be kind enough to lead them to repentance.
