Creator, Father, King #220

Through love serve one another.

IF YOU KNEW YOU were going to die tomorrow, how would you spend your last hours? Would you gorge on your favorite foods? Do something exhilarating such as skydiving or amateur race car driving? Go on a wild spending spree? Hastily write a last will and testament?

On the night before his death, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. In first-century Palestine, this was the duty of a house servant, one of the lowest forms of servitude. Yet during that special Passover meal, the eternal Son of God took a washbasin and went around the table, humbly kneeling before each of his friends to scrub the dust and grime from their sandaled feet.

Once he was finished, Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13:12-15).

What’s It Mean?

Jesus’ servanthood that night was stunningly beautiful. But don’t worry . . . this doesn’t mean you need to set up a monthly sole-sanitizing schedule with your friends. Tell them to keep their stinky socks on! Jesus’ act was a symbolic display of the self-sacrificing attitude every believer should have toward one another.

Here are five reasons why Christians should adopt an others-first mindset:

• The Savior commanded us to! If the Master willingly served his servants like Jesus did, the servants have no reason not to serve one another!
• God is love (1 John 4:8). As God’s children, we are to embody love, which is a joyfully self-sacrificial attitude toward others.
• It’s a powerful witness to nonbelievers. As Jesus told his disciples after washing their feet, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).
• It sanctifies us. By nature, we are prideful, selfish, and unkind beings. Serving others helps us put this old nature to death.
• It builds the church. Putting others’ needs first allows us to practice our God-given spiritual gifts, encourage others, and build up the body of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Put your best foot forward, follow the Savior’s example, and serve others!

Now What?

Find a consistent way to sacrifice your time and talents for the benefit of other believers in your church or a gospel-centered organization.

Did You Know?

Jesus even washed the feet of Judas Iscariot, his eventual betrayer!