“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)
Can you imagine washing someone’s dirty, slimy feet? This is what Jesus did. Jesus and His disciples were sitting and eating their last dinner together. Jesus stood up from the table, wrapped His robe around His waist, and kneeled down. He took a bowl of water and started to wash His disciples feet. Doesn’t that seem kind of gross? Why would He do that?
In Jesus’ day, people did not own shoes like we do today. They would wear either sandals or maybe no shoes at all. They did not have nice paved sidewalks and roads, either. What do you think your feet would look like if you walked around in the dirt all day with only a pair of sandals on? You would probably need to wash your feet, too! You probably would not be very excited about cleaning someone else’s feet. But Jesus did just that. He got down on the floor and washed all of the disciples’ feet. Once their feet were clean, He told them that He was giving them an example to follow. He was not teaching the disciples to go around cleaning everyone’s feet. He was teaching them to serve the needs of others over their own needs or desires.
Jesus is God. He is awesome, mighty and powerful. Jesus’ disciples should have washed His feet, but He washed theirs instead. He served His disciples (and all of us) in a much greater way and gave a much greater gift than clean feet. Jesus came to Earth and made the ultimate sacrifice. He served us by dying on the cross for our sins. While He was here, He set an example of love-motivated service for all of us to follow. It is natural for us to do only that which makes us happy. Jesus wants us not just to think of our own needs and wishes, but to think about the needs and wishes of people around us.
Jesus served us and He desires that we serve others.
My Response:
» Do I usually only think about myself?
» How can I serve God and others this week?