So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there… John 4:5&6a
REFERENCE
John 4:1-7
In this familiar story of Jesus’ divine need to journey through Samaria, we encounter something that arrests our attention – a generational transaction that occurred between the last of the Patriarchs; Jacob and his son, Joseph. When Jesus traveled through Samaria, He arrived at a spot near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. In other words, Joseph was given a parcel of land in his Daddy’s will.
What a way to live and die – to leave an inheritance to your children and their children. If Joseph, being Jacob’s second to last-child, got a parcel of land, we can conclude that Jacob must have bequeathed plots of lands to his eleven other sons and perhaps his daughter(s) too – at least, a plot of land each. This is something to emulate as believers, to wisely manage God’s resources in our hands, use the opportunities we have to better our lots, invest our energies in profitable work, acquire some real estate (as you have means), and keep some money aside for the future, so that when time comes for us to ‘see God,’ we won’t leave our children with liabilities and debts to pay, rather, we leave them an inheritance – a good head-start in life.
Jacob did not only stop at the plot of land, he sank a well there. A well? Yes, in their days, a well was a very valuable possession since they were desert dwellers. A well represented a source of refreshing for man and animals; it sustained trade and commerce through animal rearing. By naming a well after yourself, you legally staked your claim to a plot of land – so this well at Sychar was named, “Jacob’s Well.”
What does this say to us today? Jacob developed the land and erected a structure there. We should also endeavor to, through prayers, proper planning and foresight, get involved in real estate and bequeath some to our children. It is a generational way of thinking. Imagine that this well was dug by Jacob and down the road, Jesus, his great, great, great…grandson came to drink from it.
What are you building that will outlive you? What is your legacy? What will generations to come remember you for? What are you bequeathing to your children’s children? Hey, don’t be quick to say, “I don’t believe in material things as inheritance, I will only give my children a godly legacy.” Fine and good…but not good enough. Jacob gave his children both; an enviable godly legacy that we still talk about today, but he also gave them tangible inheritances.
Don’t ‘check out’ until you sink a Well at Sychar.
SCRIPTURE PHOTO
ADDITIONAL READING
Psalm 112:1-6, Genesis 17:5-8 and Proverbs 13:22’
PRAYER
Lord, I pray for wisdom and foresight to be a generational thinker so that I can plan properly for the future well-being of my children. May I manage my resources wisely, maximize my opportunities, and invest my energy for lasting ventures. At the end of my days on earth, may I leave a godly legacy, as well as tangible inheritances for my children in Jesus’ name.
