John 13:12-17 (NIV)
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. I tell you the truth, 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.
Shortly before Jesus began to wash the feet of the disciples, they were arguing about which of them was the greatest, which of them deserved the top spots in Jesus’ kingdom (Luke 22:24). Jesus told them that they were not to seek the top spots but were to be servants of all (Luke 22:25-30). But often an illustration goes further than words. His washing their feet was designed to paint an indelible picture in their minds.
Now He followed the action up with teaching, and the lesson was very simple, one point. If Jesus, their Lord and Teacher, was willing to lower Himself to the spot of the lowliest slave and serve them, not one of them was too important to serve the others.
Some have taken Jesus ‘command that they should wash each other’s feet literally, holding foot-washing ceremonies, especially near Easter. But Jesus was actually speaking more generally. It wasn’t the literal act of foot washing that He was pointing to (something that is really not necessary today with our sidewalks and closed shoes), but all actions that served those who are also of the faith. Jesus was against anyone in the kingdom elevating themselves above another by title or rank, so that they saw themselves as holding a position that should be served rather than serve. This issue is still present in the Church today, which means, of course, that the lesson is still relevant today.
If Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, took on the form and substance of a servant, if He lowered Himself to willingly perform the most menial of ministries to those who were by rights far below Him in the hierarchy, then there is not a person in the Church, no matter what position or title they hold, who is too good or too high up to serve in any way that they can.
Father, the hardness of this lesson is because it militates against all our “upward mobility,” and our desire to climb the ladder of success so that we can eventually reach a point where others will serve us, and life will be easy. Jesus’ rule for His people is the exact opposite: the more Christlike we become, the more we should find ourselves serving, and the less we should look to be served. Thank You for this vital lesson, and for Jesus’ heart-penetrating illustration of it. Amen.
If you are enjoying my blog, I invite you to check out my new book, When We Listen, A Devotional Commentary on the Gospel of Mark. Just follow this url: http://eagerpress.webstarts.com/ Thanks, and God bless you all!