In John 13 we see that Jesus, in His last meal with His disciples before He would go to the
cross was compelled to “love them to the end” …which translated means to show them the
“full extent” of His love. It was an intentional action that He wanted them to take in and
imitate.
What would He do? He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped Himself with a
towel, grabbed a bowl and basin, and then did the absurd. He humbled Himself by bending
down and washed their dirty feet. This was the kind of act that was set aside for only slaves
to do. Imagine these men looking down at Jesus as He held their feet in His hand and
tenderly wash the sand off their tired feet. What were they thinking? Their teacher…their
Lord taking on the role of a servant before their very eyes. Little did they understand that
this would be a foreshadowing of what He would do for them on the cross.
He returned to His seat at the table and called them to do what would rub against their
nature…”do as I have done for you”. What is our response to the cross? Certainly, to seek,
reflect on, and worship Him, but also to live out the idea to humbly “wash the feet of
others”. What does that look like in your life? It means to set down our “rights”, our
“wants”, and our “agendas” to serve and love those that we encounter with the same kind
of sacrifice that Jesus demonstrates at the table with His friends. It means that our lives
might look significantly different than they do right now. As we respond and obey, we also
worship our Jesus.
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