December 26th, 2020
Text: John 13:14
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (NRSV)
Not everything we are called to do for God is glamorous and exciting. In fact, much of what God considers worthy work, we might classify as drudgery. It is the day in day out living out of God’s love in a broken world. You don’t often get gratitude and thanks by living the Kingdom way of life loving God and loving others in the kingdom of this world.
Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to serve. Jesus, who, in reality, is the God of the universe (see John 1:1-3a), set the example by washing the feet of the Disciples. Jesus was not shy about rolling up his sleeves and doing the mundane.
Once when the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest among them, Jesus told them that the greatest was the one who was the servant of all (Mark 9:33-35). Servants don’t get much praise for doing that which is their job. It is expected of them.
When we do the daily hard work of living love in the midst of a world filled with hate, we are serving God because we are serving God’s people. It may not be glamorous, it may not even get us a thank you but, it truly is continuing the work of Jesus in the world that he loved so much he gave his life for it.
Pray with me:
Lord forgive me when I get tired of the day-to-day work of Christianity. Forgive me when it begins to feel like drudgery to love people in a culture of anger and hate. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I might have within me the same mind that was in you as you washed the feet of the Disciples. AMEN.
So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (NRSV)
Not everything we are called to do for God is glamorous and exciting. In fact, much of what God considers worthy work, we might classify as drudgery. It is the day in day out living out of God’s love in a broken world. You don’t often get gratitude and thanks by living the Kingdom way of life loving God and loving others in the kingdom of this world.
Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to serve. Jesus, who, in reality, is the God of the universe (see John 1:1-3a), set the example by washing the feet of the Disciples. Jesus was not shy about rolling up his sleeves and doing the mundane.
Once when the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest among them, Jesus told them that the greatest was the one who was the servant of all (Mark 9:33-35). Servants don’t get much praise for doing that which is their job. It is expected of them.
When we do the daily hard work of living love in the midst of a world filled with hate, we are serving God because we are serving God’s people. It may not be glamorous, it may not even get us a thank you but, it truly is continuing the work of Jesus in the world that he loved so much he gave his life for it.
Pray with me:
Lord forgive me when I get tired of the day-to-day work of Christianity. Forgive me when it begins to feel like drudgery to love people in a culture of anger and hate. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I might have within me the same mind that was in you as you washed the feet of the Disciples. AMEN.
No Comments