Browsing social media earlier today, I was greeted by a graphic leading with the words, “The difference between Jesus and religion…” It went on from there to claim that religion shames people, while Jesus stoops to wash their feet. Pitting Jesus against religion rarely ends well. My gut reaction was an inner groan, but I thought it deserved a little more thought, a little more reflection. Giving the benefit of the doubt, the creators of the image likely mean that following Jesus is intimate and relational, rather than a production or self-righteous pursuit of glory at the expense of others. They want followers of Jesus to show grace, mercy and…