Corona Devo 3252

August 10, 2026

4 Views 0

SaveSavedRemoved 0

I wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with one of our kids the other day. In truth, his words (and attitude) had exasperated me and I did not start an argument, but I wanted to!

I wasn’t exactly mad…but frustrated, and I began to have an excellent conversation with myself (in my head), concerning the many ways that I was right, and he was wrong. This (self-exalting) mind-speak led to some ideas of how I might proceed with him concerning this matter, and more specifically, what I should do to show him how I felt about it.

Freeze.

Has anyone else ever been in a similar (What do they think they are doing?) situation?
…Where we want to make a point, and more specifically, we want to make our point.

Words like “discipline”, “consequence” and even “justice” bumped around my frustrated heart as justification for how to handle how I might proceed.

But then the Lord pressed His next-steps into my head and heart, and I will give you a hint: it was not at all what I had been thinking.

Getting ready to go out of town, three (dirty) pairs of our son’s favorite shoes were in a jumbled pile by the door, ready to be packed. I noticed again how muddy and filthy they were.

And in that moment, I knew how God wanted me to handle the recent topic where we had not seen eye to eye. …By not requiring an eye for an eye.

I wanted to correct, and (if I am honest), I wanted my way and to win. But God does not handle differences that way.

Jesus helped His disciples figure out how to live life well by modeling humility and service to others to them.

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (2) The evening meal was in progress… (3) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; (4) so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. (5) After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him…

(12) When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.

(13) “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. (14) Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. (15) I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (16) Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. (17) Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:1-5, 12-17

I didn’t wash my son’s feet, but I did wash his tainted shoes. And as I scrubbed (and scrubbed), God gave me some time to think about His ways over mine. In truth, by the time I was done washing, I was also done wishing that I could get “my” way. God’s is always better.

The dirt and mud were not all that was washed away during the scrubbing of those shoes: my heart felt cleaner too.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ (39) But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. (40) And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. (41) If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. (42) Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. ~Matthew 5:38-42

My son and I weren’t arguing, and he is (in no way) evil. He hadn’t slapped me on the cheek, or taken my shirt, but…we get the idea.

Perhaps we are in similar situations today, and our gut-reaction is to react. And our go-to first-move is rarely to favor the one who has offended/hurt/scorned/frustrated us.

But Jesus provides an alternative option for us to embrace, even when people are being prickly: Him.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (20) because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (21) Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

(22) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ~James 1:19-22

So often, too often, we want to do what we say, instead of doing what the word says. But James (essentially) says—don’t kid yourselves! (Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ~James 1:22).

If we are not seeing eye-to-eye with someone… that is life! That is not a reason to have a one-sided (self-righteous) conversation with ourselves about how right we are.

Our inclination (as humans) is to endeavor and desire to make our point. It does not take much for words like “discipline”, “consequence” and “justice” to bump around our frustrated hearts and even to enter into our prayers.

However, Jesus is not speaking “justice” into our hearts today…but (instead): “mercy” and humility.

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.

(5) In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (7) rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ~Philippians 2:3-7

Jesus made most of His “points” by not strong-arming his audience, and instead…serving them.

If we are in any sort of stale-mate with one of our mates, perhaps the Lord is telling us through His Word to wrap a towel around our waist, and to begin washing their feet and drying them with the towel.

This is a wild and counter-cultural idea when contrasted with today’s “me first” society, but if mercy was the way that Jesus handled things with those He loved…~~shouldn’t~~, ~~couldn’t~~, it WILL work for us too!