Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with [the Samritan] woman [at the well]. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" (John 4:27)

A management expert I read the other day said he used to think running an organization was like conducting a symphony orchestra. But then he changed his mind. It's more like a jazz improvisation. "Jazz," somebody said, "is the sound of surprise."

Jesus is the Lord of surprises. Look at his ministry... the people who gathered around him... the folks he touched and shared meals! While Jesus' ministry was intentional, he is the Master of improvisation and surprises. Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well is one of his improvisational moves in ministry and life. If we are going to become like him, maybe it's time to approach life a little more like jazz than a set symphony.

Things are not always the same. You wake up in the morning, and things are changing every day. On summer vacation with our grandchildren, we told the kids, "You'll probably never see that horse again, so get a good look... you've never seen that ocean before..."

You see, everything is so new and changing in so many different ways, even if you came to the same spot to observe it. We wake up a little unique and a little different every day.

Get your jazz on!
So as we begin this New Year, let's get our improvisation going. Let's "keep in step with the Spirit" as he teaches us to get our jazz on as he leads us in the dance of life (Galatians 5:25). Smile at a new day. There will never be a day like this again... because it's God's day!

The title image comes from UnSplash.com and was contributed by Alex Zamora.