“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” John 13:3-5
Jesus knew who He was. He knew where He had come from and where He was going. This was God, the Creator of the universe, King Eternal, Yahweh, washing the feet of the ones He had created.
For the disciples, this was a “shock and awe” moment! No rabbi or any person of significant status had ever washed another’s feet. It just wasn’t done. The job of foot washing was always relegated to the lowest of the low, the refuse of society.
But Jesus never let society dictate His behavior, He never let it deviate Him from His mission. He had come to serve. Just hours from this moment, Jesus would demonstrate His greatest act of service, His coup d’état: the cross! He overthrew the norms, the status quo, and turned this self-driven, people pleasing society on its head.
After Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He told them,
“Since, I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each others feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13.12-14).
Do what I do. Serve each other.
Having the heart of a servant was a way of living for Jesus and it should be for those of us who are His followers. It wasn’t one act of service, followed by a myriad of self-driven deeds. It was a lifestyle of service. Unconditional service. No expectations. Service born from a heart that loves.
Jesus’ greatest act of service, the cross, came from a heart propelled by love. And so should our service derive from a heart of love for those He created.
Unconditional service is never easy. Unconditional service always has a cost, but it is a way of life for those who choose to follow. It marks us as true followers of the One who first demonstrated His love for us!
Lord, we confess in this every-man-for himself world, we have lost sight of this servant way of living. We have allowed the world and its ways to color our perspective and justify our self-centered choices. Teach us to have the heart of a servant and to live each day, following the example you set for us. Amen.
By Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission
FURTHER READING
• We are Christ’s Ambassadors
• Come Alongside – what it looks like to come alongside of people while Jesus draws them closer.
Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/
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