Better than Before

“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. ‘You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you'” (John 13:12-15).

I have a friend who is an amazing encouragement to me. Every time I am with him, I feel encouraged. Every time I am with him, he makes me want to be a better person and a better Christian.

A while back we were attending the Leadership Summit conference at Willow Creek Church in Chicago. There were about 10,000 pastors and leaders from all around the world at Willow. During the breaks, we would all make a mad dash for the restrooms. The Leadership Summit is about the only place I know – besides football games and rock concerts – where a guy has to wait to go to the bathroom.

During the breaks, we would all make a mad dash to the restrooms and wait in line. There would be lines 30-50 people deep waiting to use the men’s room. Every time we would use the restroom and wash our hands, I would observe my friend taking the extra time to wipe down the sink with the paper towel. I never asked him why he did that, but I don’t need to.

The reason why my friend did that – and why he was always an encouragement to me, why he always took the time to thank the waiter in the restaurant, acknowledged the guy who served our coffee, greeted the greeter at the hotel, etc. – is because his goal in life is to be like Jesus.

He wanted to make wherever he was a better place because he had been there.

And the reason why he lives his life like this is because that’s how Jesus lived his life.

Could you imagine if all Christians lived with this simple philosophy – making the world a better place than we found it?

Should Christians live our lives like that, there wouldn’t be such a need for apologetics. Christians would be the best reason for others to come to love Jesus Christ.

So you know what I find myself doing now? I am wiping down the sink in public places, taking the extra time to greet and thank the people serving and helping, doing my best to be like my friend – because he’s so much like Jesus Christ.