“When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.’”
- John 13:12-15 HCSB
I used to think I had my human figured out.
He throws the ball.
I chase the ball.
He fills the bowl.
I empty the bowl.
Simple arrangement.
Good system.
Tail-wagging successful.
But every now and then my human does something that completely shifts my understanding of him.
Like the time he sat on the kitchen floor beside me after I’d tracked mud through the house, chewed up one of his socks, and barked at absolutely nothing for twenty minutes.
I figured I was headed for judgment day… or exile to the backyard.
Instead, he scratched the back of my head and softly said, “I love you, Buddy”
Now that’ll rearrange a dog’s thinking.
And according to that Bible my human keeps reading out loud, I’m beginning to suspect that God doesn’t see things the same way we do.
See, most of us—dogs and humans alike—expect relationships to work like the world works.
Perform well, get rewarded.
Mess up, get pushed aside.
Be important enough, loud enough, successful enough, and maybe folks will notice you.
But then Jesus comes along and turns the whole world upside down.
The disciples expected a conquering King.
Somebody important.
Somebody who’d sit high while others served Him.
Instead, Jesus wrapped a towel around Himself and washed dirty feet.
That’s a paradigm shift.
The Creator kneeling before creation.
The Master serving servants.
The Holy One touching dirty, calloused feet without hesitation.
And… He still does.
Not with a basin and towel today but by patiently changing us from the inside out.
The world says Climb higher.
Jesus says Kneel lower.
The world says Look out for yourself.
Jesus says Love one another.
The world says Power changes people.
Jesus says Love transforms hearts.
The world says Power means being served.
Jesus says Greatness means serving others.
The world says Protect yourself first.
Jesus says Lay down your life.
The world says Change the outside so folks will think better of you.
Jesus starts on the inside where nobody can see but Him.
I’ve watched my human change over the years.
He still stumbles sometimes.
Still gets tired.
Still says things he wishes he could take back.
But Jesus keeps working on him anyway.
A little more grace.
A little more patience.
A little less pride.
A little more kindness.
That’s how Jesus works.
Not just polishing the outside where everybody can see, but reshaping the heart where only He can reach.
Not religion from the outside in…
But transformation from the inside out.
A paradigm shift, indeed.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
