Spin

John 4:

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

Definition #11 on dictionary.com for the word “spin” is:  Spin - Slang . to cause to have a particular bias; influence in a certain direction: His assignment was to spin the reporters after the president's speech. 

I think of spin when politicians on all sides try to use the same information to make opposing points.  I think of the press and PR firms trying to explain why the superstar athlete role model was arrested for everything from DUI to weapons and assault charges and more.  I thought this was something our generation had developed, but our scripture today shows it has existed since Jesus’ day. 

The woman at the well was honest with Jesus.  He asked a question and she answered it.  Partly.  She tried to spin her sinful situation into the most neutral to positive light possible without being untruthful.  And Jesus saw right through her.  He knew her.  He loved her.  He wanted her to open up and be completely honest with Him and with herself. 

I know I spin things; especially the things about me that I don’t like so much.  I talk about my parents, but not about Dad’s alcoholism.  I talk about changing jobs, but not about being asked to leave.  I talk about the challenges my son faces, but I don’t tell the whole story.

Spin’s not always bad – there are things that should be private to protect others and things that are long forgiven.  Not everyone can be trusted with what could be painful memories.  But sometimes spin is bad.  We can’t spin God.  Even if we think we can hide things or leave things out when we talk to Him, He knows.  Jesus sees right through me.  He knows me.  He loves me.  He wants me to open up and be completely honest with Him and with myself.

That leaves us with our “Don’t” for the day:  Don’t try and spin God!