this dirt road

"Jesus, knowing the the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper... and began to wash the...feet." John 13

Jesus, who had nothing more to gain & nothing left to lose. 

If we are to love each other truly, as Jesus has loved us? ... we have to first be satisfied in the love of God. 

Otherwise what we believe is loving somebody else will only always be loving ourselves, because it seems to be we're our own first priority. 

To be completely satisfied in who You are, by Your love. 

Jesus, knowing that God was glorifying Himself. 
Jesus, needing no approval from any person. 
Jesus, wanting to be praised by no man. 
Jesus, doing what he did not in order to feel good. 
Jesus, refusing to assert his dominance. 
Jesus, who didn't think about building a life. 

-- knew that he could not lose his life. 

It's like the only way to save your life is to do everything you can to lose it. 

And the only way we're ever going to be willing to lose our lives is if we are certain that we cannot. 

We lose the desire to protect what we have when we are undoubtably convinced of the love of Jesus. 

Because, undoubtably convinced of this love, 
unabashedly sure -- 

there is nothing more for us to gain, and there is nothing left that we can lose. 

If we knew how real and deep Jesus loved us, how deep and free we'd live. We'd be loving not in order to be loved -- but because we are loved. 

This knowing the love of Jesus that it's impossible to know? Our response directed toward every eternal soul -- 

All barefoot like warmth of summer,

this grace splashing feet.