Along the Way
By Kim Findlay
There’s a Bible passage that I’ve come to love, found in John 4:1–42. At first, I loved it because I saw many similarities between myself and the woman Jesus met at the well. Rejected. Avoiding people to escape judgment. Alone, yet still showing up, still working, still surviving.
But none of that mattered to Jesus. In fact, John 4:4 says, “He had to go through Samaria.”
Jesus went out of His way to meet her because He had a plan for her life that she never could have imagined.
Kind of like me. And maybe you, too.
For a long time, I focused on the woman in the story—how astonishing it is that Jesus chose someone rejected and labeled so “sinful” to reveal Himself to, and then used her to point others to Him.
But now, I shift my focus. Now, I see Jesus.
He went where others refused to go.
He asked for help: “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7).
He spoke to someone others rejected—a Samaritan woman.
And He did all of this along the way to somewhere else.
Jesus had left Jerusalem and was traveling back to Galilee (John 4:3). After confronting corruption in the temple (John 2:13–17), His ministry was just beginning. Scripture tells us, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). He wasn’t seeking attention—yet He never missed a person.
He traveled from one place to another, but He remained present along the way.
That challenges me.
How often have I missed what God placed right in front of me because I was too focused on where I was going? How often has the destination mattered more than the transformation happening along the way?
How often have I missed what God placed right in front of me because I was too focused on where I was going?
When I focus only on arriving, I leave no room for growth—for myself or for others. I expect instant maturity, immediate understanding, and perfect faith, forgetting that even the disciples learned slowly, over time, as they traveled with Jesus.
Because Jesus didn’t rush people, He walked beside them.
He taught them.
He corrected them.
He loved them—all along the way.
And He perfectly obeyed His Father with every step. As He said, “My food… is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work” (John 4:34).
So when Scripture says, “He had to go through Samaria,” that word matters, because technically, He didn’t have to. There were other routes—routes most Jewish people took specifically to avoid Samaria. There was deep hostility between Jews and Samaritans, rooted in history, culture, and worship differences (see John 4:9). This tension is what makes the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) so powerful—Samaritans were outsiders, often despised.
And yet, Jesus chose that road. He chose that way because there was a woman there—one who felt unseen, unloved, and unwanted, and the Father desired to reveal His love to her.
So Jesus went, but He didn’t just pass through—He stopped. He engaged. He saw her fully.
Yes, He acknowledged her past: “You have had five husbands…” (John 4:18), but He didn’t leave her in shame. Instead, He redirected her toward truth and hope: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst” (John 4:13–14).
And then, He did something remarkable! He revealed His identity to her plainly: “I, the one speaking to you—I am he” (John 4:26).
This is one of the clearest declarations of Jesus as the Messiah—and it was given to her.
Not to a religious leader like Nicodemus, who struggled to understand (John 3:1–10), but to a woman with no formal training, no status, and a terrible reputation.
And she believed.
Her response was immediate and powerful: she left her water jar, went back to her town, and said, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). Because of her testimony, many believed (John 4:39). And after encountering Jesus themselves, they declared, “We know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
All of this happened along the way.
Next week we’re going to explore what this means for us—both personally and through our ministry—to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and minister along the way.
Mind if I pray for you?
Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of encountering people along the way, encouraging them, and revealing yourself to them. Help us to walk as you did, to go where you lead, and to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s whisper, “she needs to hear about me.” May we be women who encourage ourselves and others to turn our gaze toward You and follow You along the way. Amen.
Do you need encouragement along the way? We still have space available for our upcoming retreat in Hudson, NH, Chosen for His Glory. You can learn more about the details here: https://bydesign.org/events/retreat-2026
Kim Findlay is the Executive Director of By Design Ministries. She is a speaker, author, and ministry leader with experience in strategic development, children’s ministry, discipleship, care, and prayer ministries. She’s a Midwesterner living in New England with her husband, Russ; they have raised seven children and now enjoy the titles of Nana and Papa to their grandchildren. She is a board member for South Shore Community Church and the New England District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, and she loves to encourage others toward faith and hope.