He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:1–5)

The Parable of the Boss and the Ball Pit

There once was a highly respected executive named Marcy who ran a multimillion-dollar marketing firm. She wore power blazers, could smell a bad ROI from two miles away, and once closed a deal on a treadmill while eating Greek yogurt.

One weekend, her team volunteered at a local children’s center. You know, team bonding, charitable vibes, and LinkedIn humblebrags.

Mid-event, a toddler catapulted himself into a ball pit and promptly disappeared.
Gone.
Vanished like your paycheck after taxes.

Panic set in.
The intern screamed.
The HR director opened a risk assessment template.
Someone suggested calling a lifeguard, which made zero sense, but in the moment, felt oddly correct.

And then Marcy did the unthinkable:
She took off her heels, rolled up her sleeves, and dove into the ball pit.
Fully committed. Like Jonah, but with better hair.

She emerged victorious, child in one arm, crushed Goldfish in the other.
People wept. The toddler blinked twice and asked for a juice box.

From that day forward, Marcy wasn’t just the CEO.
She was Queen of the Ball Pit.
A title feared and revered.

Welcome to Kingdom Leadership

Jesus didn’t just write parables. He lived them.

He literally washed His disciples’ feet, and not like a spa day either. We’re talking open-toed, desert-walking, Jerusalem-summer feet. The kind of feet that say, “I haven’t moisturized since Moses.”

And He did it knowing full well He had all authority (John 13:3). The King of Kings got on His knees while the disciples argued about who was most likely to make Partner.

That’s the difference between worldly leadership and kingdom leadership: The world climbs to the top. Jesus stooped to the floor.

If You’re Too Big to Kneel, You’re Too Small to Lead

David had the anointing, the slingshot, and the Spotify playlist, but he also had the humility to cry, repent, and write poetry that still makes grown men tear up at conferences.

Esther walked into royal courts. Nehemiah rebuilt cities. Paul flipped the world upside down from a prison cell.

They led with authority, yes but their power came from posture.

In the Kingdom, it’s not about being the loudest in the room. It’s about being the first to refill the coffee. Or apologize. Or plunge into the metaphorical ball pit.

Heaven is impressed by hearts, not hype.

What’s the Deal with the Towel?

When Jesus grabbed that towel in John 13, He wasn’t just cleaning up. He was cleaning up our definition of greatness.

He didn’t pull rank. He didn’t start a group chat about expectations. He tied a towel around His waist like the lowest servant in the house and showed His team that greatness comes with calloused knees and dirty hands.

The towel wasn’t just for drying feet. It was for changing minds. It said: “This is how you lead. This is how you love. This is how you live.”

Okay, But What About the Goat Cheese?

This is where most leadership books fall apart.

They tell you to “elevate your mindset,” “own the room,” and “eat goat cheese with billionaires.”

Cool. But none of that helps when your team’s burning out, your intern is crying in the supply closet, and you haven’t prayed since Tuesday.

Jesus didn’t network His way into influence. He knelt His way into it.

The towel was His platform.

The cross was His strategy.

And the tomb? That was just a mic drop.

The Brightide Challenge

This week, be bold:

Send the pitch.
Take the risk.
Make the decision like a king.

But also:

Pick up the slack.
Listen first.
Serve someone who can’t return the favor.

Because crowns are heavy, but towels? Towels build legacies.

And if you ever find yourself too important to kneel…

Jesus didn’t wash feet to look humble.

He did it to show us how the Kingdom works. Where greatness kneels, and glory wears a towel.

So lead boldly. Serve quietly. And build a legacy the world doesn’t understand but heaven applauds.

Let’s Build This Together

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