Jesus didn’t avoid the broken, the shamed, or the marginalized—He went straight to them. Dr. Michael Youssef unpacks the woman at the well to show how Christ’s love conquers prejudice and calls you to share the Gospel where God has placed you.
One of the most stunning portraits of Jesus’ love overcoming prejudice and meeting human desperation is found in John 4:4–26—the story of the woman at the well.
In today’s episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains why Jesus’ decision to travel through Samaria was shocking. Many Jews would take a longer, harsher route just to avoid contact with Samaritans. Yet Jesus deliberately walked into Samaria, sat at the well, and waited—tired from the journey, but intentional in His mission.
The Samaritan woman was scorned on multiple levels: by ethnicity, by gender, and by her moral reputation. And still, the Son of God addressed her personally: “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7). With one sentence, Jesus shattered social barriers and opened a door to saving Truth—showing that no person is beyond His reach and no stigma is strong enough to repel His mercy.
This devotional turns the spotlight toward your everyday life. The Lord has placed you at a “well” in your community—neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and people whose values or backgrounds differ from yours—so you can lovingly point them to the Savior who gave His life for them.
Prayer: Father, help me to have a desire to share Your love with everyone, no matter what their cultural background. Open my eyes to see those You have placed in my community who need to hear the Gospel. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Encountering Christ, Freedom from Bondage: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW