Opportunity Knocks

One of the great movies of my youth was The Last Starfighter.  I have watched it many times and it's always exciting when I find it on Netflix and watch it again.  In one scene Alex Rogan is trying to make a decision when the trailer park manager gives him some sage advice, telling him essentially that when opportunity knocks you got to "grab it with both hands and hold on tight."  

Jesus was one of those opportunistic people.  Henry Blackaby says that Jesus only ever did what He saw His Father doing.  That's easy to figure out when a short, stuffed shirt tax collector climbs a tree to see you.  But what about when you're just taking a break?  

In John 4 Jesus has been walking and He sits down by a well in the afternoon while His disciples go into the town to buy some food.  While Jesus is sitting there a woman comes out to draw water.  Coincidence?  She didn't climb a tree.  She didn't ask Him to heal her or to be His follower.  Actually, she was quite shocked that He would even talk to her.  So how did Jesus know that His Father had appointed this meeting and that her heart was ripe for salvation?

Well, I'm not a super-scholar but it seems to me a pretty simple answer.  He asked.

Jesus should have sat by that well all afternoon and not seen another person.  History tells us that the women of the day would have gone early in the morning to get water, before it got hot.  So when she showed up to get water Jesus surely was intrigued (although He already knew what was going to happen).  But the women didn't ask Him anything.  She was probably very shocked to see Him.  It would have been strange enough seeing a man at the well, but the fact that He was a Jew made it even more odd.  So she keeps her distance and gets her water quietly.  

Jesus then asks her to get Him water.  Strange again.  By engaging with the woman, asking her questions He is able to get her to ask Him for the living water.  The opportunity presented itself and Jesus took advantage of it.  

It wasn't rocket science or some super-spiritual understanding.  He had a moment with a woman in a strange situation and He led her to the Truth.  She in turn led nearly the whole town to faith in Christ.  When opportunity knocks you've got to grab it with both hands and watch the Holy Spirit do what only He can do.