The woman left her water jar. That may be the most telling, poignant verse of the entire passage. She left her water jar and went to tell people about Jesus.
Remember, this lady came to the well in the heat of the day, presumably to avoid the verse people she is going to talk to. And she came, obviously, because she was thirsty. She needed water. That’s obvious. That physical thirsty can’t have changed. Neither has her relationship with the townspeople. But something has changed ... because her water jar is on the ground and she is telling her neighbors about Jesus.
The word “empty-handed” is key. Jesus changes the entire trajectory of a person’s life. The things that seemed so important no longer hold the same value. The things that seemed so terrifying no longer hold the same fright. After all, Jesus has Grace for everything you have done in the past, He gives Hope for the future beyond your wildest dreams; and in the present, right now, He transforms you from the inside out. Why wouldn’t you leave everything lying at his feet. What else could you possibly need?
After she met Jesus, the Samaritan woman left her water jar at the well and ran to tell others about Jesus. Jesus had told her about Grace for her checkered past, Hope for her future, and living water for right now. Those are the words of life we have been called to share. I’ve never seen a person come to Christ because of an angry political rant or because someone was hostile towards their lifestyle ... but people will respond to the Grace and Hope and Transforming-Power of Jesus Christ. Let’s be known for that message.