JOHN 13:12-17 HUMBLE SERVICE

12 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. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

These words are not the institution of a new sacrament for the Church, but the declaration of the way the Church is supposed to be. We are to understand what Jesus has done so that we might apply that knowledge to our lives and our world. And Jesus’ command to his people is to first demonstrate his servant attitude among ourselves as the Church. In such a manner the foot washing serves us as a graphic reminder that the world will know we are his disciples by how we love/serve one another (John 13:34-35).

Love puts the other first and takes the time to first listen and ascertain our brother’s need and then exerts the effort to address that need. In first-century Palestine, the dust and dirt combined with bare or sandaled feet resulted in the need for feet to be washed. At this gathering there was no one to wash the Disciples’ feet so Jesus did so as a lesson in divine love. It is such a fundamental lesson for kingdom living that Jesus explicitly explained it to the Disciples and us.

In an era of paved roads, sidewalks, socks and shoes, foot washing is a quaint reminder in the Church of what Jesus did and that we are to serve others. But when we wash feet the activity itself serves the need of the washer to be reminded to serve, rather than any need that the owner of the feet being washed actually has. We are to seek out the needs of our brothers and sisters in the congregation and then specifically address those needs if we are to be obedient to Christ. This is not a passive waiting for their needs to surface, but being in close enough relationship that we can know what the needs are without needing them to be announced. Our ideal should be to know one another well enough that like a mother who can tell her child is sick before the child says anything we can recognize and address the needs in the congregation. Being able to do so will be a witness to the world and prepare us to be able to go out and likewise serve the world in the Name of Jesus.

May I be constantly reminded that love is patient and kind and seeks the well-being of its focus. Jesus, inspire me to seek to know others well enough to understand their needs and empower me to exert myself to address those needs. Humble my knees so that I can kneel in service before those who are in need. Amen.