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.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
John 13:1-9 NLT
I was rereading the Gospel of John where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. Those verses get me every time. The example Jesus was setting, through all the time He had spent with the disciples, seemed to be lost on them. They couldn’t fathom that He would wash their feet. After He washed their feet He said this to them:
You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
John 13:13-15 NLT
They were to learn through watching Him. How He lived was the example being set for all who would believe in Him. We are to serve and we are to set the example of love, grace, and patience when we are interacting with others. Have you considered that our lives speak all the time whether we realize it or not- so what are we pointing others to?
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT
The whole theme of this chapter in Ephesians is to be imitators of Christ’s example. I want to encourage us to read and reread the red letters in scripture. All that Jesus did and said lays out the best example for us. Having gone through all the Gospels multiple times through the years, I decided last year to specifically go through them again to really get to know Jesus, what He did, and why He did it. It has made my love for Him all the more deeper! It has helped solidify my faith in the one true God and His love and purposes for us. I pray it will, if it hasn’t already, do the same for you. Oh, that we would be a people that are known for our love of God and our love for each other. May we be the church He desires us to be.
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