Most of us are known for something. Some people are known for their sense of humor, their sense of fashion, their kindness, or their bubbly personalities. Unfortunately, however, some people are notoriously known. The word notorious is an adjective, and defined as: famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed. If you do a little research on notorious people you will most likely find in the top 10, a man by the name of Al Capone.

Al “Scarface” Capone, was the kingpin of crime who ruled the Chicago underground in the 1920s. Anything and everything illegal that could make money was under Capone’s regulation. In 1931 he went to Federal prison for 6 months, for only tax evasion, (not paying his taxes) because he was able to legally distance himself from all of his other criminal activity. Even though he was not convicted in a court of law for anything other than tax evasion, anyone who knew Al “Scarface’ Capone, knew what he was really like, his name spoke volumes about him.

In the Gospel of John, we read about a similar notorious individual, a “well” known woman, the woman at the well. She was so well known in her town for her sinful lifestyle that she even came to draw water at a time when she thought no one would be around to “give her grief” about her sin.

However, we know the story, she met Jesus at the well, and found out that Jesus knew her “quite well”.

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; “for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband.” (John 4:16-18).

It’s hard work to hide what you really are. Some people work very hard to hide the sin in their life from others around them. That kind of mindset is quite futile because others see what we think we are hiding. Proverbs 20:11 states “Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.”

No matter how hard we try to hide what we are really like, Jesus knows us quite well!

But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2:22-25)