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The Beauty of Servanthood - John 13

HHBC_Beauty_of_Servanthood_K_Swyden

John 13:5, 14-15

"Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded…. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you."

Meditation

This scene and meaning are really too beautiful for words. The best and most important are often saved for last as was this demonstration by Jesus for His disciples at their last meal together. He gave them an example for how the disciples were to care for each other and minister to and disciple others once He left them. We know, and the disciples were on the very brink of learning, that nothing is too great, magnificent, or too miraculous for Christ the King and creator of all creation, for nothing is impossible through Christ. We say that all the time, nothing is impossible for Christ, and it is true and we are always looking for the miraculous and impossible. And God is still touching us in remarkable and wonderful ways as only God can. But the example at this Last Supper is clear; be humble, be a servant to others, nothing is too menial or too low for His disciples. So during the Last Supper, Jesus painted a picture. Their master, the Savior of the world, the second person of the Trinity, takes off His outer robe, gets on His knees, and washes the calloused and dirty feet of another man. Then He told them, and tells us, this is what it looks like to be a Christ follower and how godly living is defined for those who seek to call themselves His disciples. He calls us to humble ourselves before others in His name in order to follow Him by serving others. Oh, and, no service is too humbling. This is truly our example of servanthood, in its most poignant display of what it looks like to be like Jesus.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, the beauty of your life is clearly seen in your demonstration of servanthood during your final moments with your disciples. How different from the world! How unexpected for a King! Cause us to remember your example as we daily live our lives and make choices as to how we will treat the people with whom we come in contact. Give us the wisdom to see beyond the good to the best when we are deciding how to spend our time and energy. Help us to see the priority you placed on humility and servanthood, that we might do likewise all for your glory. Lord now I ask with some trepidation, “Whose feet, figuratively or maybe literally, have you called me to wash today?”