This morning, I read again the account of Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman, found in John 4. It took place at Jacob’s well. The words of the Lord are the important part of this story. We read it and marvel. The well itself is fascinating. It is still in existence, although it is close to 2,000 years old. It is dug from solid rock and now a church has been built around it. In fact, I believe more than one church has surrounded it through the years. I wonder why. Was a building put around it to protect it? Personally, I would liked to have seen it remain as it was when Jesus stopped there for a drink of water. I also wonder why men take something that is pure and beautiful of itself and try to improve on it? The point of the story, though, is that Jesus is the living water and those who drink of this water have eternal life.
After reading the biblical account of Jacob’s well, I checked out my news sources and saw, with shock and sadness, that Shirley Temple has died. I admit that brought a few tears. Of course, the only way I knew her was through her movies but she was loved by millions of Americans, including my mother. During the terribly hard years of the Great Depression, Shirley Temple brought a few minutes of hope and joy into lives where those two things were needed. As President Franklin Roosevelt said, “When the spirit of the people is lower than at any other time during this Depression, it is a splendid thing that for just 15 cents, an American can go to a movie and look at the smiling face of a baby and forget his troubles.”
Movies, at the time of Shirley Temple’s popularity, were a far cry from the films of today. She didn’t try to make a political statement and she didn’t depend upon shock value or coarse language to draw crowds. She was a ray of sunshine in a country struggling valiantly to regain its feet after being knocked for a loop by drought and economic distress. But, there was Shirley Temple, singing, dancing, and smiling, radiating encouragement and rallying flagging spirits. Mr. Roosevelt said, “”As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right.” And, we regained our feet, raised our heads, and kept on.
Getting back to the Scripture I mentioned at the first of my meanderings: the Samaritan woman was changed forever and completely by her conversation with Jesus. When she went back to her village, I am quite sure her life style was different. Probably townsfolk marveled at her words and actions. The Bible doesn’t continue with her story, but we can imagine what logically followed.
I wonder what people will remember about me or you, after we, like Shirley Temple, are gone? What will we leave for others? A legacy of earthly wealth is good but it can disappear in an instant. Cherished, eternal values are lasting. Hope, joy, courage, these are the things that matter. A suffering nation looked into the innocent, smiling face of a little girl and realized that hard times, even good times don’t last. But faith, determination, truth and trying? Hey, these are what we are. Shirley Temple helped us remember.
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