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Follow Thursday

WOW. After a day of inactivity the action really picked up on Thursday at the Passover got into full swing and the activity that leads the the cross begins moving in quite a rapid succession of events. There are so many great points to identify and to focus on in these events that it is a bit of a struggle to only pick one.

But there is an event that seems to define the evening activities of this Passover Thursday, as the Christ, the Lamb, gathers his men for one last meal, one last time to teach, one last time to give them the instruction they need before the show really starts. It’s a little like that last practice before the big game, as coaches struggle to find that one piece of information that his players should hold above all else they have learned. And look what Jesus tells them, after he washes their feet in an educational “hands-on” interactive instructional session:

10-12Jesus said, “If you’ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you’re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.

12-17Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. (John 13:12-17, The Message)

He tells them, and through them he tells us – Be a servant, follow my example. Do what I have done, act like I have acted – give your life for the others.  So, speaking of following, here is a little short video clip about following him.

Hm, follow him, imitate him, act like him.  I wonder what would happen if we do?

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Making Others Better

Man its tough.  Trying to understand that at times your only purpose in life to to help others.  The selfish impulses that are woven deep inside of us want to take over and push the others out of the way. However, when you are able to swallow pride, develop some patience and provide assistance to others it always seems better in the end.

I know that when I do that I am a better spouse, father, and co worker.  So what is it still so difficult to not just chuck those people to the wind and move on with out them?  Casting aside a personal agenda for the sake of other seem so fundamentally wrong when we examine ourselves, yet is is the cry of the Christ.

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16, New International Version, ©2011)

and there’s this

25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:25, New International Version, ©2011)

So, today, I am trying to figure out how to lose myself, how to give up on my personal agenda and how to make the others that I am blessed to be around better. Any ideas?

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On Notice

Last night I was listening to the JJ Heller’s song “Love Me” while I was streaming K-Love Radio in the hotel room. It’s a very nice song with a very emotional plea in the chorus:

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means

So, of course I started thinking about these words, not that I was dwelling on these thoughts from a personal perspective, but it did strike me that this song describes some of everyone’s basic needs. The more I thought about it, the more I started thinking about my daily life and the number of peeople I may have a chance to impact as the person who shows love.

Take a moment to consider the people around you – the people you deal with everyday. Who will you notice? Who will you see as a person created by God placed in your path today by the creator of the world? That seems to change the way we will interact with each and every person. It seems that maybe we will want to love them for them, and not what they may or may not have done for us.

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4, New International Version, ©2011)