Serve God as a Foot Washer
Other Posts in this Series
- Serve God
- Serve God as a Foot Washer
- Serve God with Your Fruits
- Serve God with Justice
The most profound picture of servanthood that I know is the snapshot of Jesus kneeling before his disciples, washing their feet. With this act, Jesus demonstrates his love for a group of misfits, a committed core who failed to comprehend. He knelt in front of them, one by one, to do the most demeaning task imaginable.
What I find most disturbing about this scene for me personally is that Jesus took the time to perform this act of charity even on Judas, the man that would betray him that very night. I cannot imagine washing the feet of my enemies, those who hate me or have wronged me. Foot washing is an act of complete selflessness.
When he concludes the ritual, he speaks to the stunned men sitting at the table.
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:14-15)
Jesus calls us to a similar servitude, to selfless acts of charity for those in need. When we bend our knee in humility and care for the needs of others, we are not only following Jesus’ example, we are serving Jesus. Jesus tells us that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt. 25:40).
But then I can’t get that picture of Jesus kneeling before Judas out of my mind. If I truly want to demonstrate my love for God through service, I too must be willing to kneel at the feet of my enemies and care for their needs. I could, without much difficulty, care for the needs of people I love regardless of how disgusting those needs might be. Bending over backwards to help those who would betray me, however, is repulsive.
Perhaps that’s the point. To be a true servant, one with complete selfless giving, is one of the most difficult things in the world. Yet, when our attitudes become like that of Christ and when we learn to love as Jesus loved, servanthood becomes the easiest thing in the world. I love God by serving all people in need–even those who wrong me.
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