Good morning, and happy Tuesday! Today’s devotional reading as we walk through Holy Week takes us to another table of those Jesus spent a significant amount of days with, those whom we read that He loved and considered His own. Listen to John 13:1-17:
“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Jesus, the Son of God and Redeemer of all mankind, humbled Himself, and washed 12 stinky feet. I don’t think He gave any thought to the dirt or the stench though. He knew this was His final hours with those He loved and He needed this lesson to stand out—words alone wouldn’t be enough. So He lowered Himself and cleaned their feet.
I want to reread verses 15-17, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Who are people that you serve (or should serve)? Co-Workers or employees? Children? Roommates or a spouse? Friends? Neighbors?
What is one way you could, “wash their feet” this week? How could you serve one of them in some way?
Now, hear John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Serving one another is one of the ways we love one another. In fact, Jesus says this is how others will know we are Christians. Do other’s know you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus?
The way I see many represent Christianity on social media is heart-breaking and downright wrong. Many have lost our mission to serve and love. We care more about trying to mold those who don’t claim to follow Christ into His image before they even know Him. When, instead, we are called to serve and love, not force others to conform.
How could an approach to serve and love, instead of judge, change the way others might experience Christ?
How freeing to know it’s not up to us to change the world or save the world! All we are called to do is to humble ourselves and choose to make disciples by serving and loving others.
Our call to action today is to find some small way, just one act of service you can do for someone in your life, and to do it.