Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A quick thought about Foot Washing

Foot Washing tends to be one of those things we do around Easter to remember the servant's heart that Jesus carried into everything He did.  When He took the time to wash the disciple's feet before that last supper, I think He was doing more than just serving them.  


People didn't wear shoes back in those days that covered your whole foot - it was more like sandals.  I don't know about you, but I've walked down some dusty / muddy roads in just flip-flops or sandals, and it didn't take very long for my feet to be covered in whatever I was walking through.  I was definitely an act of servanthood for Jesus to wash off all of that dirt and mud from their feet.  But what if He was also saying something else through that act?  Perhaps He was also telling them (and us), that He would be able to wash us clean from anything we could ever walk through.  


You see, sometimes we go through some pretty nasty stuff: sin, heartache, confrontation, misunderstandings, relational tension, stress, etc.  More often than not, when we go through those things, we normally don't come out completely clean.  Sometimes we allow the small seeds of bitterness, unforgiveness, doubt, or hardheartedness to stay in out hearts.  Jesus is telling us that He can get all the mud and dirt off of our feet after we walk through something nasty, because (thankfully) He's not afraid to get His hands dirty.  


The same applies in our relationships with others.  When we go through conflict or tension or seemingly unforgivable circumstances, we need to be ready and willing to kneel down and wash the dirt off.  That is sometimes the only way to real healing & restoration.


That is what it means to be a servant.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Some Random Leadership Thoughts

This makes 2 days in a row. I may be on a roll....but don't hold your breath.

So, leadership...is a fun word...and can be even more fun (or rather interesting) to live out. I guess most people would say that there are only two kinds of people when it comes to leadership - those that lead and those that follow. If only it were that simple. If you've paid attention to any job or task-centered scenario, you should be able to see that not all leaders are equal. Some are great at leading, and well, some are just not so great.

I think there is more to leading than just not being designated as a "follower". Sometimes the best way to lead in a given situation is to do the best job at following. There are times when we should lead by position, and there are times when we should lead by example or influence. The truth is: the better you are at leading as a follower, the better you will be at leading as a leader. Just think about that for a few minutes.

Another thing that occurred to me earlier today, is that I sometimes (probably more often than not) tend to wait for a "cue" from someone else to let me know when I should do something or what I should do in a certain situation. I'm not just "following" when I do this, I'm also "not leading". That doesn't mean that I should take charge in every situation, but it does mean that I should stop waiting for someone else to set the pace or dictate my actions in a given scenario.

God has given me certain abilities and skills, not just as a leader, but as a person. If I want to be the best Mark that I can be, then I can't always wait for someone else to "set the pace". I wonder how much of the world (or even history) would be different if just one person had not waited to see what someone else was going to do, and instead just stepped out to do what they were going to do.

Just some food for thought.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

I'm such a slacker!

I believe it's time to start updating this thing again. Instead of feeling like I have to post this enormously long blog, maybe I should just share those random, short thoughts that I get every now and then. At least it would be more often then it has been. :)