“…rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded Himself.”
John 13:4, 5
Sitting down to a nice meal, Jesus has already gone through the trouble of being ceremonially clean to take part in the celebration of Passover. While reclining at the table on those comfy pillows and hanging out with the guys, Jesus is compelled to suddenly stand up, roll up His sleeves and start washing the gnarly feet of those around Him.
I’m not going to lie, when eating dinner, the last thing I want to do is scrub the feet of the people at the table.
What was it Jesus was doing?
I believe Jesus was presenting to us an example of how to serve. Not just in words, but in actions and truth (1 John 3:18).
Notice I didn’t say “Actions” alone, but “Actions and truth”.
Even though actions do speak louder than words, at the end of the day, talk is cheap. Actions in and of themselves are not enough. It is when the words and actions agree and are founded by a genuine heart of love that a lasting effect is made. We must be O’ so careful where this love is sourced from however, if it is done out of a love for attention, or a love for acceptance, then we are only acting out of self-interest. Jesus acted out of a pure love for His father’s will to be done.
If we are going to serve effectively we must humble ourselves as Jesus did (Philippians 2). Beyond that, if we are to serve effectively we must allow our actions to be evidenced through the position of our hearts as well as the hands. Anyone can grudgingly stop what they’re doing to help out with something. When our actions are compelled by love we not only minister to the need at hand, we also minister to the innate need of the heart.
This is the exclusive “true” way to serve another person with a pure heart. Often when we serve others that which goes on in our heads and our hearts aren’t actually what is being presented outwardly. Most people aren’t idiots; they can usually tell when you’re doing something grudgingly, or with a hidden agenda. Jesus purely served those around Him, but He didn’t entrust Himself to them, He loved them, but He at all times accepted the reality of the innate need of Mankinds heart, and didn’t ever minister or serve to receive fulfilment from man, He had already received that from His Father. If we do not keep the same perspective towards those we serve, we will eventually grow cold and disillusioned with the task at hand, because service doesn’t always have a reward. Our eyes must be fixed on the Father, receiving our acceptance and Love from Him through Jesus Christ so when we serve we might be able to take the difficult moments of service without losing our heart posture in the midst of the task.
Another important thing I see from Jesus’ example is he didn’t criticize those He served. He didn’t comment on the corns and bunions. He didn’t mention how John didn’t clip his toenails; this is often how we in the Church minister to each other. We are very happy to tell how poorly he’s doing, or how she limps in her faith. What Christ desires is to talk less to others, and talk more to the Father where true and effective ministry is done. The way you keep yourself from judging others and gossiping is to be quick to intercede in humility.
Instead of going to talk about it, go pray about it. Go to the Lord with the issue. When in this position we allow the Lord to have His way, the Lord will always properly apply His power to the situation. He will not only minister to the person your praying for, He will minister to the change that needs to happen in your heart as well.
Yes, that’s right, YOUR heart. Faith will properly change your circumstance according to the Lords will, and prayer will change you according to the Lords will.
“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:16
Jesus Christ graciously got down and dirty, compassionately put his supper aside and got involved, picked up a cloth and washed the gnarly feet of those who needed to be washed. Not only did He rise to his feet and use His hands to clean the disciple’s feet, He also took nails through his feet, and stretched out His hands to wash away the sins of mankind.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
