I Want To Be A Foot Washer

Today, Maundy Thursday, I aspire to follow one of the most amazing role models to ever walk the planet.

In John 13:15-16 Jesus said, after washing the feet of his disciples, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."

I frequently am disenfranchised to see others who claim deep "spirituality" and religion and yet find it so challenging to model service to others. I'm baffled in our current political battle to see the condemnation of a "social floor" that would, for example, ensure that every human being has access to health care. My heart hurts when I am confronted face to face with incredible poverty that is juxtaposed to incredible, unaffected wealth.

I am inspired by those who have found their path to acceptance, tolerance and unconditional love. I'm encouraged by those who seem to make it their life work to reach out to those in need and love others the way Christ modeled love for us. 

I wonder today as I gaze out my office window into the city of Seattle--how many foot washers are there below? 

I'm thankful to each of those along my path who have extended unconditional love and acceptance to me. Those who have washed "my feet" in exactly the way they needed to be washed.

My single biggest regret in life is not consistently "walking the walk"--periodically failing as a man, being distracted from the goal, making poor decisions and perhaps most of all not seeing the feet around me that desperately need to be washed as I hustle through the day to day craziness.

I pray that as 42 becomes 45, 55, 74 and 100--I will increasingly become more service oriented and look for opportunities to model the same kind of selfless love and compassion that Christ modeled for us so many years ago....today.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Washington Educator's Feedback and Questions for Secretary of Education Nominee Betsy DeVos through US Senator Patty Murray

Thank you for the invitation to share my thoughts with Senator Murray for Ms. DeVos. As a point of reference, this is my 26 th year as a public school administrator/teacher. I have served students in Washington, Oregon and Nevada. I have served as a music teacher, Middle School Assistant Principal, High School Assistant Principal, Director of Alternative School, High School Principal, Director of Educational Non-Profit, Assistant State Superintendent (supporting WA under-performing schools—285 schools holding 250,000 kids) and currently Superintendent in the Lyle School District. I have six children. 2 have graduated from public schools and 4 are still enrolled in WA public schools. I have served as a Union President for school administrators in Nevada and am currently the President Elect for the Washington Association of School Administrators for ESD 112. Thoughts on Ms. DeVos: There are a myriad of data points about her absolute lack of qualifications to serve as our nati...
Read more

Faces in the Crowd

Image
493 faces in the crowd from 1306 SW Webster Street to the Starbucks on Westlake at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA. Even gender division, well-dressed and disheveled, young and old, tired and alert, black, brown, white and in-between. 493 faces in the crowd. On the street corner. Metro bus route 125. South Seattle Community College. Westlake Center. Sidewalk passing Fantasy Girls adult theater. 493 faces in the crowd. I noticed 493 different faces in the crowd this morning. Counted them actually. I was struck by the enormity of the work within our public schools in Washington State and around the country. I paused this morning to consider the differences portrayed on the faces I passed. What is it that creates "the look" of each face I passed. What role did/will teachers play in the attitudes of fellow human beings that crossed my path this morning? There really seemed to be no "in between." Faces were filled with joy, hope and optimism or sadness, despair...
Read more

Leadership and the Danger of "I" and "Me"

Leadership matters. Leadership matters in all sorts of ways. Leaders give us hope. Leaders help us have the courage to make challenging choices and decisions. Leaders are selfless. Leaders promote others, care, have empathy and don't belittle those who are different than themselves. Leaders acknowledge their success only in relationship to the overall growth and improvement of those who they lead. As a school and district leader for the past 22 years I have worked diligently to try and improve the school communities that I've served. The goal has always been to work in collaboration with all stakeholders for better outcomes for kids, families and communities. Through each of these roles some degree of success and progress has been experienced. I've never believed for even a moment that "I" held the key, magic potion, or silver bullet. Leadership matters and what I know to be true about the leaders that I've watched in my lifetime succeed in serving their r...
Read more