Queen Me - Exclusive Devotional by Wendy PerezSample

Day 6: Let Them Talk, You Walk

“Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5)

One of the most gripping narratives in Scripture is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:4–42). It tells of a woman society deemed unworthy—branded by her past and by relentless gossip—yet she was “crowned” by Jesus with new worth. Through their encounter, she chooses to wear her crown courageously, despite the judgments and condemning voices around her.

Picture the scene: Jesus, weary from His journey, stops at Jacob’s well in the heat of midday—precisely when everyone else would be seeking shelter from the scorching sun. At this hour, a lone woman approaches the well, clearly hoping to avoid the stares and whispers of her neighbours. But for the first time, she meets a man—a Jew—who neither looks down on her nor distances Himself from her. With gentleness and profound empathy, Jesus reveals the very things she has always longed for: acceptance, love, and dignity.

Right at that moment, however, the disciples return, and their expressions hint at surprise—perhaps even disapproval. The Samaritan woman faces a choice: allow others’ judgment to drive her back into shame, or step into the freedom she’s just tasted through Jesus’ words. She decides on the latter, leaves her water jar—symbolic of her past burden—and runs into the city, proclaiming, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!” (John 4:29).

With that bold action, she refuses to be defined by rumors or by her history; instead, she embraces the calling she has just received from Jesus. She becomes a powerful instrument of revival in her town; indeed, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39). It perfectly illustrates Wendy’s phrase, “Let them talk, you walk.”People may always find something to say, but you don’t have to stop or change course just because you lack their unanimous approval. Keep walking in the direction God has shown you.

Similarly, how often are we tempted to stay silent or in the shadows because someone—or even an inner voice—makes us feel inadequate? Yet Scripture reminds us that “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). It’s not the crowd that determines your value; a popularity poll doesn’t define your mission. When God entrusts you with something, His “yes” outweighs every “no” in the world.

Like the Samaritan woman, initially an outcast, you can become a powerful agent of change when you stop living under others’ judgment and begin focusing on Jesus’ acceptance. The same principle holds for us: if we keep our eyes on God and follow His voice, the words of those who underestimate or criticize us become little more than background noise. Hebrews 12:2 encourages us, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

When you understand that your identity is established in Christ and your worth is unshakable in His sight, you learn to keep walking despite the critical voices. You do so knowing the full value and acceptance you enjoy before God.

Reflection Questions:

1. Is there a dream or calling you’ve postponed because you’re afraid of others’ judgments?
2. Can you recall a time when you let someone else’s opinion limit your actions? How might the outcome have changed if you had lived by the principle “Let them talk, you walk”?
3. What would it look like, in practical terms, to apply this principle in your everyday life?

Prayer: Lord, thank You that my identity does not depend on the approval of those around me, but solely on Your calling and Your love. Help me resist the urge to stay silent when criticized or judged, and instead move forward boldly on the path You’ve set before me. May I leave every past burden behind, as the woman at the well did with her water jar, and run confidently toward my destiny. Amen.