Verse: John 13:12
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.
Series: “Things Jesus Said” in the book of John
Devotion
If you have been a Christian for a while, you have likely heard a sermon on this scripture. Before the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Because they walked everywhere and so did all their animals, their feet got very dirty. The lowest ranked person in the room would be the one to take on this smelly task. Jesus upends things again for his disciples and shows them that the first should become last.
How does this apply to us? How would you answer Jesus if he washed your feet? Would you be like Peter and tell Jesus not to wash his feet or, after a rebuke by Jesus, then wash all of me? It is always so tempting to try to control God and have him do what we want. Fortunately, Jesus shows us God’s patience with us and willingness to explain why he is doing this.
He tells them that, since they call him Teacher and Lord, he has set an example for them to “do as I have done for you”. He was telling them to show sacrificial love for each other. For us today, his example should determine our attitude and our actions toward others, especially those in need. He didn’t just tell them a parable about a rich man washing a poor man’s feet, he actually did it himself. This was so important that he acted it out.
When do we have an opportunity to symbolically wash someone’s feet? If one of your friends is struggling, you can go to him, even if it is inconvenient for you, and wash him with the encouraging word of God. If there is a large project at work, do the part of the job that no one volunteers to do. Do you do more than your share of the dirty work around the house like taking out the trash, cleaning the toilets, changing the baby?
Jesus wants us to love like he does. That is a very high standard! He’s asking us to change our focus from our needs to really see others, broken and hurting, and to humbly love them and serve them. He closes his lesson to them by saying “you will be blessed if you do”.
Prayer
Lord, help us to step out of our own situation and see the needs of others around us: our family, our friends, our coworkers. Teach us and show us how to humble ourselves and serve them the way that you would. Bless us with your love and wisdom so that we can have more to give to others.
Author: Brad Dunn
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