Pinchy Shoes

Have you ever come to the spot in Mulan II (the Disney movie) where the princesses sing about wanting to be a “regular girl”, without having to wear “pinchy shoes”? I’ve worn those pinchy shoes before; you know the really great looking heels that are squeezing the life out of my toes (sorry guys) but make my legs look longer. You wear the pinchy shoes very long, and that is pretty much your all consuming thought. My feet are going to die and take the rest of me with them!


Sometimes, circumstances occur where we have a pinchy shoe reaction. It grates a little, then a little more, rubs us the wrong way, the blister starts appearing, the blister gets bigger and bigger, the foot gets redder and redder... Next thing you know, you are throwing pinchy shoe fits over something that needed to be addressed miles back.


When the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached Jesus about her boys and their potential (she hoped) positions in heaven, I think there was a pinchy shoe moment for everyone else there. Uh lady, we were here too – what makes you think that your sons are all that great?


Okay, I’m paraphrasing – the conversation went more like this. “When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers,” (Matthew 20:24). In other words – what a bunch of brown nosers! Notice a couple of things here, that the ten are upset with the two brothers. There is no mention of Jesus being indignant or of the mom being part of the backlash.


Instead, Jesus took a moment to point out the pinchy shoes in their midst. “Jesus called them together, and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave ...’” (Matthew 20:25-27). Um fellas (yes, I’m paraphrasing again), let’s take off that pinchy shoe of pride for a minute and talk about who is really great. Then, the response takes a turn that some might not have expected, as Jesus turns their logic on its head. Let’s go over that part again – to be great, you need to be the servant. That does seem rather backward doesn’t it? I mean, the great one has the servant. Yet, think of truly exemplary leaders, they have a heart to serve their people, company, friends, country, etc... They want to serve, they want what is best for them – not always what is best or easiest for themselves.


Jesus wraps it up with, “...‘just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many,’” (Matthew 20:28). What a gentle, yet humbling reminder that the Son of God, God in human form himself came as a servant. Is it too much to ask me to serve? When I think of it that way, then I’m thinking instead of the missed opportunities I have had to serve. Where has my own pinchy shoe of pride blinded me?