Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

     It's supper time and all are seated. I picture Jesus looking around and counting heads. "Ok they're all here". He looks again to make sure Judas is there, otherwise "the plan", will not work. Although there was that nano-second that unbeknownst to His guests that He sighed and wished things could be different. But His heart even faster looked to heaven and whispered, "Father, Your will be done.”

     I feel secure with that conjecture, as a result of Him, the one and only sovereign God having been fully acquainted with every human emotion. But there is a tall order there that only Jesus himself could fulfill. Before dessert is served, seated there, fully man, fully God, the One that under His robe housed the power to create endless galaxies, universes, and could have swiftly and very easily annihilated the one known enemy seated there, clutching the money bag, was in a strategic way the “guest of honor". The catalyst, the one who would ensure this chronicle continue all the way to Calvary.

     Jesus then pushes His chair back, stands up and does the unimaginable. Are you kidding me? This King of Kings, Lord of Lords walks over and fills a basin with water, grabs a few towels then crouches over even "lower", and one by one washes the feet of those He loved. Those that one day he said, "follow me" to. And here they were, next in line to have their feet washed after witnessing countless miracles and being able to attest that He is truly the Messiah, the Son of God, the savior of the world. This cannot be!

     It was evident that they could not really measure what was happening right before their very eyes. Which is exemplary in the way that Peter responded.

     Something tells me though that this was the "group think"of the moment. Nevertheless, Jesus was not moved or driven off of the path ascribed to Him. He washes His disciples feet not excluding the one who would "betray" Him. He then returns to His seat and in a not so parabolic language , so that they would clearly understand, dons his teacher hat and and proceeds to explain the lesson.

     I can only scratch my head as I play this footage on my minds screen. I look around the room as well and see the puzzled looks on the disciples faces having experienced truth in motion, yet feeling clueless?  Not completely, but certainly not fully embracing what was on the radar.

     Who are the guests at your table? Who is the one or the ones that you know that have or will betray you? Did you even invite them? Were you not aware that they are necessary in order for you to complete your mission? "Sometimes", in our own ignorance we keep them at bay that are essential for us, "the seed" to go into the ground and die so that life can spring up.

     Why not take some time today to symbolically set the table, and invite those that have hurt, betrayed, abused, left, abandoned, forsaken you? And rather than use your power to annihilate them, you instead, choose to push your seat back, stand up, fill a basin with water and go to each of them and wash their feet? And as you do, forgive and release them. I mean, really release them.

     Subsequently , take a seat and enjoy the dessert that Jesus himself will serve you for having followed the mandate, the blueprint that was the very meaning behind what He did that night long ago.

     As the world around them went about her business, around that table, The King painted for us, a matchless, priceless, timeless image that reveals the secret in how others would know that we are truly His disciples. Let’s willingly give to Him what He paid for. Love wins.