If I were the woman at the well....

If I were the woman at the well, and Jesus had come to talk to me, how would the conversation have gone? A creative adaptation...

Now Jesus HAD to go through Texas. So he came to a  town in Texas called Waco. A church was there, and Jesus sat down on the front steps. When a young woman came to unlock the doors to begin work, Jesus said to her, "Will you let me unlock the door?"

The woman said to him, "You are the God of the universe (because she was a Christian, she recognized this). Do you bother to unlock the door for me?" (For God is a great big grand God who is deserving to be served).

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you to unlock the door for you, you would have asked him and he would have unlocked far greater doors."

"Sir," the woman said, "you supposedly have all the keys to the universe. Why haven't you already unlocked all the doors? Why haven't you unlocked doors for my loved ones? Why haven't you unlocked doors for the starving children in Africa? Are you really the God who is for life? Are you as great as your promises seem to be? Am I not trying to serve you and unlock doors for you?"

Jesus answered, "Everyone who unlocks their own door will only be locked out of another door, but whoever lets me unlock the door will never be locked out. Indeed, the door I unlock will welcome him to an endless intimacy and freedom."

The woman said to him, "Sir, unlock this door for me so I don't have to keep trying to find the right door to unlock, and keep trying to unlock door after door after door..."

He told her, "Stop trying to unlock doors."

"I have to unlock the door to get to work. I have to unlock doors to do something for you. I have to, I have to," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You think you have to. Do you not see you are trying to unlock doors and prove yourself? Control your life and situation to protect yourself and loved ones? To get to me?"

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you have more grace than I realize. Why has it seemed you have failed to hear me in the past? Why has it seemed you have failed to open doors to dreams in the past? Why does it seem that you abandon starving children in Africa?"

Jesus declared, "Believe me, Gillian, a time is coming when you will trust I am truly in love working for your best. For who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weight the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it hat taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?... But you say, the LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me. Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... Sing, o barren Gillian, burst into song, enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back... Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated (Isa. 40:12-13; 49:14-16a; 54:1, 2, 4). For I myself have shown you how far I have gone to work for your and your loved ones' eternal good. I have born your shame so you would not need to have fear. Trust in me."

The woman said, "I know that you are my Savior. I know that you will someday explain all things, but help me trust in faith! I believe! Help my unbelief! I know that you are the Giver and Provider and Satisfier as well!"

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

This is Jesus, my gracious Lover, coming to speak to me in my fear, control, shame-covering attempts, etc. If you take the time to let him sit down with you by your well, you'll hear him as well. This is the basic pattern I see in the dialogue:
v. 7 invitation to dialogue

v. 9 our misperception of Jesus - What is our misperception?

v. 10 Jesus' insight into our desire - What is our desire?

v. 11-12 doubt related to the desire - What are our doubts about Jesus, God, or the Spirit? Or doubts related to fear, or circumstances, or God's response?

v. 13-14 Jesus' promises that answer the desire - What does Jesus promise?

v. 15 - request for fulfillment - What do we want from him? What would you ask of Jesus?

v. 16 - calling out of sin - Is there sin that hinders trust? Unbelief? Self-dependence? Pride? Something else?

v. 17a. - either a half-recognition of sin, or a denial, or an evasion - How are we denying or evading? Do we recognize it as sin? Ask the Spirit if you don't know!

v. 17b-18 - Jesus points to the truth - Is there truth that needs to be spoken into your life?

v. 19-20. - I have heard this interpreted as a tangent to distract Jesus from her own personal sin, but it could also be a real question about something she saw as hindering her access to God. - Is there something you feel is hindering your access to God, whether sin on your part or reluctance on his part, etc.?

v. 21-24 - truth drawing her to him, breaking down the barriers she saw impeding her access to God - What truth will break down the felt barriers between you and God?

v. 25-26 - a final clarification of a deeper revelation of who Jesus is; her doubts and fears are cast aside, barriers are broken, and she has a truer perception of who he is - Who is Jesus revealing himself to be in your situation?