Jesus Served His Disciples

“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” (John 13:1-5 NLT)

Of all the actions the Lord Jesus could have modeled for His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion, He chose to wash their feet. The encounter shocked them, and it still shocks us. Fully aware that His death was approaching, that Judas would betray Him, and that He would soon return to the Father, Jesus arose from the table, shed His outer garments, fastened a towel around His waist, took a basin of water in His hands, and started washing the feet of His disciples. This activity, usually relegated to the lower servants of a household, Jesus took on Himself.

Overcome by discomfort, Peter initially refused to accept the ges­ture. Jesus convinced him otherwise. Then Jesus went about His work without words. The disciples looked on without questions. The maker of Heaven and earth was washing dust from the feet of those He fashioned from dust.

After rising and returning to His seat, the Lord said, “Since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet” (John 13:14 NLT). Our Lord left us a powerful example. The point is not for us to wash feet per se but to devote ourselves in humble service to one another. After all, the act of washing feet meant something quite different in the first century, when everyone walked around on dusty roads in sandals.

Today it could take any number of forms. What we know is that the Lord left us an example to follow. If we are truly His followers, then we will serve one another even in the most humbling of ways.

Questions for Reflection:

• Do I serve others in my day-to-day life? Even when it might cost me time, money, or my pride?