Here in the wet and windy North West of County Durham we can perhaps be forgiven for taking water for granted. Any disruption to our supply is rarely more than temporary and often part of planned maintenance. Compared to many parts of the world we are very fortunate. Imagine being like the woman Jesus met at the well, who has to physically fetch and carry the water she needs to sustain herself.
As we can see very often in scripture water and particularly good drinking water is seen as a gift from God, something both essential and to be cherished. So when Jesus starts talking to her, as he sees into the depths of her being and offers her water so good she will never be thirsty again no wonder she becomes interested. As the full importance of what Jesus is offering strikes home she realises that this is news to be shared. Her yearning for the material needs of life to be satisfied are overwhelmed by the spiritual, this is something to be shared not hidden.
That order of needs is perhaps what we miss as a society at present. Could we let our need for spiritual sustenance become an inner thirst that we must quench; would the word of God become so important that we must go to it every day and share it with all. Or will we leave it so long that when we go to the tap it has rusted shut.