Those Smelly Feet!

How good is your serve? I'm not talking about tennis. Do you have a true servant's heart?

I realized recently that I needed to let the Spirit work on mine again. I was sitting at the drive-up at the bank. One minute, two minutes, three minutes..... a car that had pulled into the next lane after me left before me, indicating that her documents were processed before mine. Four minutes... yes, I sat for just short of ten minutes before my simple deposit was processed. (I think the teller got distracted and forgot it.) I started to steam, but heard the Spirit whisper, "Practice patience and give up your desire to be served." I did, and instead of irritation, experienced peace.

On the night of His betrayal, the most stressful night of Jesus' earthly life, He was not pre-occupied with His own needs. Isn't that amazing? John tells us that 'He knew His hour had come.' Naturally, we might expect Him to say, "Gather 'round me, guys, and pray for me. Give me support here for this is a terrible test." Indeed, later at the Garden of Gethsemane He would ask for that kind of support. But at dinner, while they bickered about their importance, He got up, took a towel and basin, and began to wash their feet!

Footwashing was the role of the lowest and the least in the household. It was a demeaning, nasty, but necessary job in a day when there were no sidewalks, lots of livestock, and little in the way of modern sanitation, if you get my drift! Feet were in the 'stuff' and you didn't want it dragged into your house, so washing the feet of your guests was customary. However, it was a job for slaves; unless you really loved somebody- then you might choose to wash their feet.

Jesus washed the feet of the men who walked and talked with Him because He loved them! He wasn't shaming them for their fighting about self-importance. He wasn't looking for their admiration. He was just doing what needed to be done!

He made it a teachable moment and left this challenge for us. "After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do."
(John 13:12-15, The Message)

He wasn't just talking about having footwashing services, either! He was talking about a way of life that is given to service offered out of a heart of love. We wash someone's feet when we absorb their anger without retaliation. We wash someone's feet when we offer them affirmation when we are crumbling inside. We wash feet when we forgive another's selfishness, letting go of our rights. There are a lot of ways to take up the towel and the basin, disciple.

Are you feeling 'entitled' today? That shows up in this line of thinking.
- "I've worked hard, who's going to thank me?"
- "If somebody doesn't show some appreciation 'round here, I'm going to start doing the minimum required of me."
- "Doesn't anybody realize how important I am?"
- "Back off, man, this is my territory."

Jesus leads us into a different kind of life. Here's the principle we learn in John 13.
Greatness in Christ's eyes does not come from having many servants but from being the servant of many.

Take this word from the Word into your heart today and let it marinade in your mind. It will produce amazing transformation.
"Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28, NKJV)