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Daily Devotion: John 13:14-17

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John 13:14-17    "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  (15)  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.  (16)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.  (17)  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

What is the significance of this which Jesus just performed for His disciples?  We saw recently that Jesus was willing, even on the night He was betrayed, to bow down and perform this menial task of the lowly servant.  He was willing to humble Himself as an action of helping these men: one of which would betray Him and the other eleven would run away when the Roman soldiers took Jesus to the judgment hall.  Instead of drawing attention to Himself, He placed Himself as the caregiver for the others.

Many of us that observe Communion (the Lord's Supper) observe foot washing as a part of that service.  It is one of the sweetest worship services of the year, for me. When this service is observed, there is no pride nor any other emotion, except that of humility and love being expressed. But there is more to it than just the action of bowing down for a brother in an act of service. It is the deep heartfelt commitment of reaching out a helping hand to one another.

On the night Jesus instituted this service, the disciples were talking among themselves. At some point, they apparently began comparing the things they had accomplished in the past three years. It went from a comparison to a contest. Luke tells us, "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest." (Luke 22:24)  Jesus gave them the answer.  "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." (Luke 22:27)  Though Luke does not record Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, I believe it was about this time that Jesus then laid aside His garments, took a towel, and began to wash the disciples feet.

Jesus not only gave them the command to observe this, He gave them the example by first humbling Himself.  "The servant is not greater than his lord." "Ye should do as I have done to you." "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."  There is great joy in serving one another whether it be in observance of this type worship service, or helping one another with a daily task, or reaching out a helping hand, or simply giving a word of encouragement to someone who is feeling low.  "Happy are ye, if ye do them." There is great joy in serving one another.

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