If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. John 13: 14-15
Do you remember the small bit of hell that breaks out the night of Jesus’ arrest? We have Judas’ kiss of betrayal, Peter cutting off the ear of the soldier, Jesus healing said soldier as he is being arrested, and the rest of the disciples running scared. By morning even Peter had denied Jesus three times. But that crazy night actually started with a quiet meal with the 12 disciples.
Jesus spent 3 years doing life with these men. He loved them to death (literally) and he used his last few hours of freedom showing them the way of love. It is at this Passover meal that Jesus institutes The Lord’s Supper as a way to remember what he was about to do for them. But he also got really practical. He took a towel and some water and began to wash his disciples’ feet. His friends were shocked. The disciples had their sandals on all day, their feet were dirty and hot, and Jesus was washing their feet. This was a nasty job typically assigned to a lowly servant. What was Jesus doing?
Peter misses the point altogether. At first he doesn’t want Jesus to wash any part of him, then as Jesus tries to explain, Peter decides he would like Jesus to not only wash his feet, but his hands and head as well. Peter wasn’t getting it.
Hopefully we won’t miss the point. Earlier this week we talked about the fact that our relationship with God must be primary because all other relationships in our lives will be impacted and directed by it. In our verses for today we see that truth come to life.
Jesus shows us the way of humility and love.
Real Humility
By washing his disciples’ feet Jesus taught us humility. There is no room in the life of a Christian for a holier-than-thou attitude. Jesus, Creator and Ruler of all did not think it beneath him to serve his friends (and even his enemy – Judas). Humility leads a person to see that all people are equally valuable and in need of kindness. Humility is the heart of one who considers others to be worthy of more honor than herself .
Radical love
If you want to know how to really love someone then look carefully as Jesus washes his disciples feet. Jesus’ love for his friends is seen in both big sacrifice as well as practical service. His love is uncomfortable in that he does for us what we do not deserve. Jesus wasn’t simply teaching his disciples a lesson by washing their feet. He was washing their feet because he loved them.
We too should be willing to show kindness and goodness in small and big ways to those whom God places in our lives. Love for one another will move us to sacrifice and serve; it will lead us to lower ourselves and to exalt another.
Our Lord would have us love others so much that we should delight to do anything which can promote their happiness.
J.C. Ryle
For some of us this may be easy to do with our families, but we may struggle when it comes to those outside of our home. Pray for compassion as well as opportunity to demonstrate it. Some of us find loving people outside our families to be easy and fun, while showing radical love within the home to be much more challenging. Pray for kindness and extra patience.
We look to Jesus as the only one who can save us. But do not forget that the path of salvation Jesus walked for us included sacrifice and service, love and humility. When we find eternal life in him, we find the power to love others as well.
Looking To Jesus,
Thank you for this post, very good and very biblical all except the quote from
J.C. Ryle
I am not sure who J.C.Ryle is, but this quote is not at all biblical. Our happiness is based on what we want or think we need. There is no where in God’s Word that talks about us needing to be happy….in fact, ‘making each other happy’ is another way of saying that we need to be ‘people-pleasers’ which is a very unhealthy way of relating to people and is in fact called ‘co-dependency’. It is a common pitfall in church community and causes a lot of problems resulting in unhealthy relationships and immature (both spiritually and emotionally) people. In fact, God’s Word warns us in many places not to get caught in the trap of pleasing people…………we need to listen to God and please Him only (Gal1:10; Col 1:10; 1Thess 2:4). God is not interested in us being happy, but His goal is for us to become like His Son, Jesus, and hopes that we will work with Him to that end. We can say ‘yes’ to Him and trust Him through the difficult places to get to that place………or we can say ‘no’ to Him and pursue our own happiness. We are called to join with Jesus in helping this happen in our sister’s and brother’s lives in the Body of Christ by ‘speaking the truth in love'(Eph 4:25). This is a hard thing to do and hard to receive…….but is the only way in which we will grow spiritually and to have healthy community….and the only way that we can help them through the difficult path ahead.
Hi Angela,
Thank you for your concern. J.C. Ryle was actually a very biblical and practical pastor in the 1800’s. He wrote an amazing book called “Holiness” and his works on the Gospels have been highly acclaimed. In this quote he is not condoning people pleasing, instead he is saying that we are to love being kind to others because it is a way in which we can help “lessen sorrow and multiply joy”.
Being a people pleaser means trying to find acceptance, love, and praise by doing something for others. This is wrong. Ryle is encouraging us to show love to someone by doing something nice for them that will give them joy.
Bringing someone a meal, giving an unexpected gift, or volunteering to watch a friend’s kids for the afternoon makes the receiver happy and glorifies God.
It even goes both ways. The giver is blessed as as well. In Phil 4 Paul tells the church in Philippi that they are his “joy and crown”.
You are right, we should not try to find our happiness in others. But make God does want us to be happy–not in a small worldly way, but in a deep, spiritually profound way. (Rom, 15:13, Phil. 4:4, Jn. 16:24, ) Yes, this ultimate happiness will only be found in Christ, but we often find him and his work in others in the church. See 1 Thess. 2:19-20.
I believe both of you are right, Jen and Angela C. I am glad thhat this discussion was brought up and clarified though. I know firsthand how loving others can be warped into codependency. I love this ministry because it’s all about loving God greatly! When God is first we won’t be people pleasing but honoring God. God will lead us on what is truly loving and life giving to others , and show usto do what is best for their eternal good and joy! In humility and kindness of course 🙂
What awonderful reminder- our Jesus humbled and serving others is our example. Sometimes I can get a little haughty and this is a good reminder to follow Jesus’ example in all areas- esp service to others. I work in a service-related job and come into contact with many hurting people. Taking the time to pray over each client and really BE there when I am with them is something I need to be more intentional about.
Sounds like you have a the perfect job for showing this kind of service and love to others. I bet it is also a very draining job. May God bless you!
Thank you for this beautiful example of humility and love today. Being able to love others no matter what, isn’t always easy. I truly do my best to live by Jesus’s example in my daily life.
God bless all
You are right, it is not easy. So thankful for Christ’s example and help.
I have always been drawn to this day on earth when God of our Universe washed his disciples feet. It is such a strong message and I really feel if we thought about that day so much more, even daily, it would open up our hearts in ways we never thought they could open. To love more, to forgive more, to allow more grace to others and on and on… Love and humbleness are so powerful when we let them guide us!
Monica,
Well said. I agree, if we thought about that day MORE it would open our hearts in ways like never before! I have spent two days thinking about your post. Thank you!
Martha
This is a great passage to take us from community with our God into community with other. Only when we can humbly receive our Savior’s loving washing can we rightly be in community with others.
Terri,
Thank you for joining us. So appreciate your sharing your thoughts.
Martha