Daverius Peters came to graduation to get his diploma. But when he entered, he only received humiliation.
The attendant turned him away for wearing the wrong shoes.
The rules called for dark-colored dress shoes. The only shoes Daverius owned were black sneakers. He had worn his white shirt and dress pants, but the school would not budget.
That was until a teacher on hand to escort his own daughter to graduation saw the dilemma. John Butler pleaded with the attendant, but he refused to move off his “no.” So Butler did the only thing he could.
He took off his size 11 shoes and let Deverius slide his size 9 feet into them.
Butler went sock footed, but Daverius slid across the stage to have his diploma handed to him.
Butler showed the essence of sacrifice. He gave up his own for the sake of another.
It is what Jesus did for us. On the night of his betrayal, he explained the near future to the tired and bewildered men.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:13–14)
Jesus gave more than shoes. His life provided our life. That is the ultimate sacrifice.
Never take for granted the shoes. Sometimes they tell us more than we notice.
-Robert G. Taylor-
