JOHN 13:1-5 ANONYMOUS SERVICE

1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

The Master acts like a disciple, the King becomes a slave and the betrayed shows love to the betrayer. With such an outrageous reversal of roles, Jesus demonstrates another aspect of the truth that the first shall become last and the last first. It is not just that the proud shall be humbled or that the poor and downtrodden will be exalted, but that kingdom leadership is found in serving. According to Jesus, a Christian is not only to serve his fellow Christians and his non-Christian neighbors, but also his enemies. Our purpose in life is not to win but to witness.

The only name that should be exalted in the life of the Christian is that of Jesus. Although pointing skyward to God in the end zone is a nice gesture, our life is to be lived constantly in that posture. The manner through which we witness to God is selfless service. We are to quietly and naturally assume the posture of a washer-of-feet in all our interactions with the world. This is not an abdication to the powers of the world but a radical critique of the ways of the world. Throughout history the spread of Christianity has been accomplished, and is still being accomplished today, by many thousands of faceless, nameless believers, often in the face of great hostility and even death. Closer to home, how many people do you think would know the name of the person through whom you were led to believe in Jesus?

Who am I, Lord, to seek the transient fame and prestige offered by this world when you humbled yourself to serve me? If I am to follow in your steps I will need the help of your Spirit to empower me to replace my worldly ambition with kingdom ambition. Help me not to merely baptize my ambition by living it out in the Church, but to lay it down for the love of you and my neighbor. Amen.