The Discipline of Servant Humility

In John 13:1 – 17 reads the story about Jesus, who knew that He was about to die – and incidentally, knew who was going to betray Him, washed His disciples feet. For most of us, having someone get down on their knees in front of us and washing our feet would be too much. We would be embarrassed, we probably wouldn’t want them to continue, we’d ask them to stop until it was obvious they were not going to. But can you imagine Jesus Himself, taking off His robe, wrapping a towel around His waist, and getting down on His knees in front of you, washing your feet and then drying them with the towel that is wrapped around Him? I’m pretty sure that would be one of the most humbling situations ever.

Now that you have thought about how you would feel, think about why you would feel that way. In verse 1 it says, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” Wow. Loved them to the end. In other words, He just didn’t start out loving them and then took for granted that they would know He loved them…He didn’t “peter out” (pun intended) with showing His love in the middle of the relationship…He didn’t think so much of Himself (and how many of us would be thinking of others when we knew we were about to die) that He disregarded His love for them. No, Jesus loved His disciples to the end…and even in the midst of all that He had going on.

After washing their feet Jesus gets dressed and goes back to His place at the table and asks the disciples if they understand what He has just done for them. Jesus explains that by doing that He has “set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” So not only was Jesus loving them to the end, but He was setting an example for them to continue to immulate in their own lives with other people.

Don’t mistake this story as a feel good moment where you cheer for Jesus and go on with your life. No. This is, very clearly, a call to action. Each of us as disciples of Christ are called to serve others with the same humility and lasting fortitude as Jesus did. We are called to serve others, showing love even to the end. We are called to serve others despite what may be going on in our own lives…despite how busy we may have become (and I would argue that only we are to blame if we have allowed ourselves to get so busy that we never have time to serve others).

My devotional says it best: "His example from 2000 years ago is still the example for us to follow. In so doing, we continue to ask the question and seek the answer to the following: “Will the leader please stand up?” Not the person who holds the title or the position, but the role model. Not the highest paid person in the firm, but the risk taker. Not the person with the most perks, but the servant. Not the person who promotes himself, but the promoter of others. Not the administrator, but the initiator. Not the taker, but the giver. Not the talker, but the listener."

Make no mistake about it, we are as much of leaders as we allow ourselves to be. When you read “leaders” know that this is not a call to just the leaders around you, but it is a call to you and I as well. When you take Jesus’ example of serving others throughout His lifetime and you couple it with the Biblical call to live life together, we can easily see that this is for everyone, everwhere. It is obvious that we have some work to do…it is obvious that we are called to do more in the way of serving others. At least I know I am…are you? Think about it…

Lord, I am sorry that I have not always been the servant that you want me to be. I ask for your forgiveness as I have gone about my own life as if it is the only thing that matters. I want to be Your servant and follow in Your footsteps – be more like You. Help me to see clearly the opportunities to do that. Help me to get beyond myself and my own life and use me to speak into other people’s lives. You are the ultimate example of who I am supposed to become. Let it be so…