You know who those people are…the ones with a servant’s heart. They are the ones who serve and help without being asked. They enjoy helping and do it with a smile on their face.
At Thanksgiving Dinner, they were the ones who were doing the dishes in someone else’s kitchen; setting the table; helping take the food from the kitchen to the table and then getting up quietly to fill a gravy boat or get more dressing. They were the ones taking out the trash.
Jesus instructed his disciples on the way they should be acting in their relationship with others.
“Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about along the way?” 34 They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.
35 After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave (servant) and serve others!”
36 Then Jesus had a child stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, 37 “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.” Mark 9:33-37 CEV
Jesus always set a fine example of servitude. His was a life of ministry. He never claimed glory for himself. He only wanted to bring glory to the Father. One of his final acts was one of servitude. He washed the feet of the disciples.
Have you ever met someone with dirty feet? Maybe not filthy dirty, maybe just be a bit dusty? Would you volunteer to wash their feet for them?
In John 13 Jesus was having the Passover meal with His disciples and midway through the evening He got up from the table, took a towel, wrapped it around His waist, got a basin of water and went from disciple to disciple and washed their feet.
This is something the servant of the house should have done. It was customary to wash all the guests feet. But since Jesus and the disciples were in a home that wasn’t theirs, it was apparent there was no “servant” to perform the task. Jesus took it upon Himself to do it.
Peter protested. But Jesus told him that it was essential. The thing that amazes me about this is not the interchange between Jesus and Peter but that Jesus washed Judas Iscariot’s feet willingly. He knew that Judas was going to betray Him and Jesus lovingly served him like all the rest.
” But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied. “If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.”
9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.” 11 Jesus knew who would betray him. That is why he said, “except for one of you.”
12 After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? 13 You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. 14 And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. 15 I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. 16 I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them. 17 You know these things, and God will bless you, if you do them.” John 13:6-17 CEV
Jesus made Himself servant of all. He didn’t discriminate. He knew who truly loved Him and who would betray Him but He treated them all the same. It was and is unconditional love.
There may be some in our circle who have betrayed us and others who have remained close and loyal. Jesus tells us to treat them all with unconditional love.
Is there someone today who needs you to show them that kind of love?
Let’s always be willing to wash some feet!