Jesus was weary, hungry and in Samaria, a place where you’d rather not be on your way to where you want to go. But then along came a thirsty soul and He offered her living water. That unplanned encounter with an unlikely person not only changed her life, but many others from her village as well.

If we were asked to write down on a piece of paper things we would happily do without in this profession, I’m sure we could create quite list. Sometimes it seems we spend a lot of energy on things that have little to do with why we entered this profession in the first place. We wanted to help children and make a difference in their lives, but there are days the tasks and responsibilities we are given can feel simply overwhelming. How do we make a difference when we find ourselves in places we’d rather not be on our way to where we hope to go? Jesus shows us the way. Watch for unplanned encounters with unlikely people.

When we are weary, and our tank is running on empty, we may be tempted to think that what we really need most is a vacation, a holiday, a weekend, or a mental health day. But Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well reminds us that the most re-fueling, and rejuvenating thing that we can do when we are weary is to let God use us. Offering living water, even from our empty vessel, revives our soul and changes everything.