A True Servant

Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” John 13:5-15

“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (vs. 15). The Gospel accounts of the life and ministry of Christ are full of events and teachings which go completely against our “normal” way of thinking. They also went against the customary expectations of many of the Jewish people who were anticipating the arrival of the Messiah.

To them, the Messiah would be a conquering hero, driving the Romans from their land, setting up a national kingdom much greater than that of King David’s time. So when Jesus cam as “a suffering servant,” most passed Him off as some misdirected mystic Who was obviously uninformed as to the requirements and the duties of the coming Messiah.

Interestingly, one of the greatest hindrances for many people to overcome was Jesus’ teaching on the necessity of being a servant. Here again we see the great contrast between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of our Lord. Our choice is crucial since we alone can decide which kingdom will be build within our lives. “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8).

True success is discovering God’s plan and goal for your life and following that plan.