What do you think may have been on Jesus’ mind the night before His crucifixion?  No doubt He was thinking about the pain and agony that He would face as “the lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world”.  His focus however, was on preparing His disciples and preparing for His upcoming departure.  These were the men that Jesus had invested three years of training them to carry on His mission.

As they were gathered together in the upper room it seemed that no one had made arrangements for cleaning their feet.  It was customary to have water pots by the door and someone would wash the feet of the guests.  Jesus however took the role of a servant and began to wash the disciples feet.  Jesus’ followers learned that the true mark of a disciple is humble self-surrender to Jesus – even when it doesn’t make sense.  Peter’s reluctance to have his feet cleaned by Jesus may have revealed his reluctance to wash the feet of those whom He considered to be beneath him.  Did Peter really know better than Jesus?  Rather than demonstrating humility, Peter revealed pride in his heart.

Jesus reinforced the lesson to His disciples as He asked them, “Do you know what I have done to you?”  

If I then,the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  (John 13:14)

Jesus gave them an illustration,  of true servant hood.

For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.   Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.  (John 13:15-16)

What is an act of service that God may be asking of you?  Many people want to be considered a servant but it seems that few people want to act like a servant.  The blessing comes in the doing.

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.  (John 13:17).

 Greatness is not measured by how many servants you have but by how many people you serve.  Teresa of Avila sums up our role in her poem, Christ Has No Body,

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

May you be an example of servant hood to others as you follow Jesus.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5