John Maxwell Profiles in Leadership: Samaritan Woman – Unnamed, Greatly Valued

This is the tenth lesson in bestselling author and speaker John Maxwell’s Leadership by the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, tell them to sign up to receive John’s free email devotional here.

By John C. Maxwell

John 4:1–42

All she ever wanted was to be loved and accepted. All she ever received was shunning and shame—until Jesus came to town. When Jesus valued this woman and offered her life, she told everyone about it. During the two days Jesus was in the village, many people recognized he was the Messiah and accepted his love and forgiveness.

[Sign up to receive the 30-day free email devotional by John Maxwell of biblical teachings to equip and encourage leaders and those who serve with them to meet the challenges of the 21st century]

[Browse all the books written by John C. Maxwell in the Bible Gateway Store]

In a traditional sense, the Samaritan woman was not considered a leader. She had no position or title. We don’t even know her name. But she was an influencer, and that means she was a leader. Others followed her—right into heaven.

What can we learn from her experience?

Good leaders value people. No one modeled this better than Jesus did with the Samaritan woman. She, in turn, valued everyone in her town, even those who shunned her. Try seeing people through Jesus’ eyes, with value.

Good leaders add value to people. Jesus did this every day with everyone, and his spirit rubbed off on the Samaritan woman. She tried to connect with those in her village because she saw that Jesus could change their lives for the better. Every person has a deep need to be loved, helped, and appreciated. Be the kind of leader who brings value by loving, helping, and appreciating those you lead.

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, The Bible Is the Ultimate Book on Leadership]

The above is adapted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible / Third Edition by John C. Maxwell (@JohnCMaxwell). Copyright © 2002, 2007, 2018 by Maxwell Motivation, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com.

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, The Maxwell Leadership Bible Achieves One Million Units Sold]