Have you ever wanted to talk about something that matters deeply to you, then found yourself unsure how to begin?
For many Christians, that is how it feels to talk about Jesus. We pray for people we love. We want them to know the hope we have found. But when the conversation opens up, we worry about sounding awkward or being asked something we cannot answer.
In John 4, Jesus begins a conversation with a simple request:
“Give me a drink.”
He is tired from travelling and sitting beside a well when a Samaritan woman arrives to draw water. Before they discuss faith or the deepest questions of her life, they talk about water.
That ordinary beginning gives us somewhere to start.
Make room for a conversation
It is possible to get through much of the day without really speaking to anyone. Pay at the pump. Scan the shopping. Collect a parcel from the doorstep.
Convenience has its place, but a proper conversation often means choosing to stop.
Jesus was willing to speak across a divide. The Samaritan woman was surprised that he, a Jewish man, would ask her for a drink. Yet he made room for a conversation that others would not have expected. You can read the encounter in John 4:3–10.
We can become so comfortable with people who share our faith that we lose touch with those who do not. Church friendships are precious, but our neighbours and colleagues need room in our lives too.
Perhaps the first step is to stop beside the neighbour we normally wave at, or speak to the parent we see at the school gate.
Sometimes the first step in talking about Jesus is making time for somebody.
Listen beyond the first answer
We all know how easily “How are you?” becomes a greeting rather than a question.
Someone says, “Keeping going,” and we reply, “Good. See you soon.”
But sometimes we can ask a little more.
“How is your mum doing?”
“Has there been any news about the job?”
“You said things were difficult last week. How are you getting on?”
We ask because the person matters. Their worries deserve our attention whether or not the conversation turns towards faith.
At the well, Jesus moved from the practical need for water to the woman’s deeper need for the life only he could give. He called it “living water”: God’s gift of life that reaches beyond our immediate circumstances and into eternity. The conversation became personal, and Jesus continued to offer her hope. See John 4:10–18.
When somebody shares what is really happening, there may be an opportunity to ask eight simple words:
Has anyone ever prayed for you about that?
Ask gently and give them room to answer. If they are open to it, you can follow with, “Would you mind if I did?”
The prayer can be short and ordinary. Ask Jesus to help with the situation they have described. If they would prefer you to pray later, do that. If they decline, respect their answer and keep caring.
This can happen through a message or voice note as naturally as it can outside the shops. What matters is that we listen and respond with care.
Share what you know of Jesus
One reason we stay quiet is that we imagine we need to answer every question first.
The woman at the well gives us a different starting point. After meeting Jesus, she returned to her town and said:
“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” — John 4:29, CSB.
The Messiah was the promised rescuer she was waiting for. She was beginning to discover who Jesus was, and she invited others to meet him.
You can speak honestly about Jesus while still having questions of your own.
Tell someone how you came to trust him, what you are learning, or how faith has helped you through a difficult season. Keep it true. There is no need to make your story sound more dramatic than it is.
And when a question leaves you unsure, “I don’t know, but I’d be happy to find out” is a perfectly honest answer.
Many Samaritans first believed because of the woman’s testimony. Then they heard Jesus for themselves and recognised him as the Saviour of the world. Her invitation helped bring them to him. John 4:39–42.
Trust the one you are talking about
There is relief in remembering whose work this is.
We can introduce people to Jesus and trust him with what follows.
The Jesus who sat tired and thirsty beside the well would later say, “I’m thirsty,” as he hung on the cross. John 19:28, CSB.
His love took him all the way to giving his life for us. The hope we share rests on what he has done, not on our ability to find perfect words.
Jesus told his disciples to open their eyes and see the fields ready for harvest. He wanted them to recognise the people ready to respond to him. John 4:35.
Perhaps there is someone nearer than we think.
Reflection
- Who could you deliberately make time for this week?
- Where might you listen more carefully instead of moving quickly past someone’s first answer?
- What could you honestly share about what Jesus means to you?
Begin with one person
Think of one person. Make time for them. Listen properly. When an opportunity comes, offer to pray or share something of your faith.
If you are exploring Jesus for yourself, you can bring your questions too. You do not need to arrive with everything settled. A conversation with someone at Community Church Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, could be a simple place to begin.
Jesus met a woman in the middle of an ordinary day and offered her life. We can trust him to be at work in ordinary days like ours.
Jesus, open our eyes to the people around us. Help us to listen with care, speak honestly and trust you with what happens next. Give us courage to begin. Amen.