Monday, April 2, 2007

John 13:1-17 (The Message)
Washing His Disciples' Feet
 1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
 3-6Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
 7Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."
 8Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"
   Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."
 9"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
 10-12Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
 12-17Then 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. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.

The story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is a familiar one for people who have spent a lot of time in church. Sometimes when we think we already know a story we forget to pay attention to it. May that never be the case with the story of Jesus.
Most people agree that Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is an extreme example of Jesus being a leader by being a servant.

Most of the time when we think of a leader we think of a person who has other people to do the service part, or even who has people to serve him or her. Just as Jesus did not fit our expectations of a king, so he also does not fit our expectations of a leader. Rather than having other people to do his work, or other people to serve him, Jesus does the work and he serves the people he leads.

Why is this an extreme example of service? Typically in Jesus’ time, the people wore sandals and traveled dirt roads. When you entered a house, especially to eat, the lowest of the family’s servants would wash the feet of each person, to make them clean. Jesus takes the role of the lowest servant when he washes the disciples’ feet.

Why did Jesus do this? He did it because he loved his disciples, all of them. He wanted to provide them an example of how they each should live and lead, as servants, just like him.

Thank you Jesus, for leading in love and service. Teach us to always follow your example. Amen.