Guilt and shame can wreak havoc with your life. When you have done things in your past that you are not proud of, you tend to try and hide them behind a facade, so that even those you are close to won't find out. It is very hard to live this kind of life. As I read the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, I felt I knew why she was staying away from the others in the village who knew all about the mistakes she had made in life. I knew what it is like to be an outcast. I knew what it is like to live with guilt and shame and to have friends and family look down on me for the choices I had made in my past. There was a time in my life when I would have believed the lies of those who said I was unworthy and not fit for use by God. However, as I read the interchange between this outcast Samaritan woman and Jesus, something within me began to feel there was hope for me. When she looked at Him, she did not see rejection or judgment. Can you even picture the excitement running through her as she realizes she is standing face-to-face with the long awaited Messiah? She immediately knew what she had to do. She ran as fast as she could, screaming to everyone she came to, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did Could he possibly be the Messiah?" Because one woman shared with her neighbors how Jesus exposed her past and present, the village of Sychar was transformed-many Samaritans heard and believed. (John 4:39 VOICE)If Jesus could use her in ministry, surely there was a place for me as well. It gave me hope and a purpose. JaWanda Dove is a professional educator and minister of the gospel. She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Bethune Cookman College, a Master's Degree in Reading, an Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and a Doctorate in Ministry from the Tabernacle University. She empowers her students to believe, achieve, and succeed. The most important achievement in her life is her relationship and walk with the Lord. Her purpose in life is to be in step with the plans and purposes of God. She is the proud mother of three beautiful children and currently resides in Central Florida.
