Life of Service part 2
Jesus is our example, right? I mean, in a sense. Not to follow in His foot steps (which is impossible to do) but at least in the sense of Him showing us what He was about on His earth walk ministry so that we could have an idea. God told Moses to follow the pattern when buildling the tabernacle, right? But also, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Psalm 127:1). Co-laboring with Christ. As He does what He's going to do in us, and through us, and as us, we are receptive to it. We go with His flow, if I can say it that way. Not trying to follow in His foot steps as much as letting Him walk with our feet. So. I said all that to say this, "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded" (John 13:3-5). Jesus. The King of kings. The Lord of lords. The master of commander of all that He sees. Getting down on the floor and washing His disciples' feet. And, as usual, I think Jesus did it for more than one reason. The first reason, as He stated, was for them to be clean. And not in the natural sense--although at that time people were barefoot or wore sandals. Their feet were dirty--but in the Spiritual sense. Jesus said, "...If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me" (John 13:8). It was a Spiritual washing. A cleansing. And I think it's important that He choose the feet. The dirtiest part. He took away the sin of the world. Cleaned us up where we needed it most. Made that part of us that is continually touching the mud and dirt of the world... clean. You don't have to let what you get into get into you. You can understand that everything is under your feet. Heaven is God's throne and earth is His footstool. Under His feet. His feet are our feet. But I think another thing He was doing is showing us what it MEANS to be a king. Or a lord. Or a leader. You can't really lead from the rear. You have to lead from the front. You guys know I'm a huge wrestling fan. Vince McMahon, the boss of the WWE, never expects a wrestler to do a stunt that he's not willing to do himself. And he's like seventy years old or something. Jesus was, in a very real way, putting His money where His mouth was. He didn't just tell us to love another. He first loved us. He didn't just tell us to serve one another. He got down on hands and knees and served us. And He did it because He loves us. Because He wanted us to be clean. To be part of Him. God's cry all throughout the Old Testament was that He wanted to be our God and He wanted us to be His people. And then, through the cross, He accomplished that goal. He made His dwelling place with man. IN man. We live in Him because He lives in us. As He is, so are we in this world. Jesus was showing us what to do. Showing us what love is. Giving everything you have and everything you are. He showed us what it meant to be a king... by showing us what it means to be a servant. The best leaders don't just order their people around. They take care of them. We don't need to control people. We need to take care of them. A life of service is a life worth living. It is good for others... and, in the act of being good to others... it is good for you as well!