Adventures in Changing the Subject

Have you ever been in an awkward conversation and someone tried to change the subject? I witnessed a conversation between a family that was working through some conflict and one of the family members kept bringing up totally random things in the middle of the conversation simply to try and change the subject. It was obvious this person did not want to deal with the conflict, and it was obvious that these attempts to derail the conversation would NOT work.

In our reading from John 4, Jesus is having a deep conversation with the woman at the well about things of her soul. She has a thirst and she has unknowingly encountered the living water. Yet, she wants to turn the conversation to petty matters about the Jews and the Samaritans and where each says is the proper place to worship. She is avoiding the subject because it is too personal.

I can relate! I often times don't deal with sin and brokenness in my own heart because it is just too difficult to go there. Like this woman, I try to change the subject. But, while the conversation may be difficult, my soul needs to have it. God is always there, offering to quench the thirst of my soul, but I have to do the hard work of allowing him to probe and prod in ways that seem too invasive and are uncomfortable or inconvenient.