The Heart of a Servant

Jesus was a master teacher.  He used words in ways that would lift up, inspire and challenge His disciples.  Jesus also used the power of an example to connect those words to the vital spiritual principles that He wanted His disciples to live out before people.  On the night Jesus and His disciples ate their last meal together the first act was that of washing His disciples feet, all 12 of them.  The custom of the day because they walked on dirt roads was when they entered a house the lowest of the servants would wash the feet of the guests that arrived in the house.  On this occasion it was just Jesus and the 12 apostles.  Shortly before this they had an argument concerning which one was the greatest that is they wanted to find out the pecking order of importance.  With that in mind no one got up to wash feet because that would have meant they were on the bottom and no one wanted to be on the bottom of any list.  Jesus used this time to teach about the importance of being a servant if they were going to truly follow Him as Lord.  Everyone in the house knew that Jesus was Lord and King and should not be washing anyone's feet but only Jesus got up to get all He needed to wash some feet.  Later Jesus stated that now they should do what He just finished doing which was to be a servant to others.  We do not have a cultural practice of washing feet but we clearly do have a need of more servants willing to live their lives in a similar manner that Jesus lived His life.  Jesus went to the cross to serve us, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.  So how ought this servant principle look like for us today.  First, living like Jesus lived.  If Jesus served His disciples by washing His disciples feet then we are to serve others in ways that demonstrate our love and concern for others.  Second, we must realize that God does not have a pecking order, He is no respecter of people therefore we are not to have a pecking order in life which means to love and serve others in ways that reveal that truth.  Third, we are to commit to the truth that there is nothing beneath us.  Meaning we must be willing to do whatever God may ask of us to do in order to share the love of Jesus with others.  I encourage you throughout this Easter season to think of ways you can reflect the love of Jesus by serving someone else.  May the love and power of Christ bless you.