John 13:5-20 – “Then He poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”  8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, ” If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”  11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason, He said, “Not all of you are clean.” 

12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?  13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.  14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.  16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.  17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.  18 ” I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’  19 “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.  20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” NASB

The account of Jesus “washing the feet” of the disciples is incredibly powerful and meaningful both then and now.  I can easily understand their reaction and wonder at what he was doing.  They were still in a mindset of Jesus setting up an “Earthly Kingdom” and becoming “King.” 

They envisioned positions of importance in that Kingdom he would establish as he threw off the yoke of the Sanhedrin and Rome, and here The King was assuming the role of a servant.  That was more than their human nature could grasp.  It tells me also that they had lost some of their understanding or had not yet achieved the level of understanding that in this Christian Walk, we are to “serve others,” not just be the lead and out front.  We are not just to be “receivers” or “takers” but “givers” in every dimension.

I look around the church today, and too often, I hear the Lead Pastor saying, “My Church.”  When I hear that, I cringe a little on the inside because it is not his church, my church, your church, their church, or any human’s church. It is God’s Church!  Jesus said, “I will build MY CHURCH!”  

Servant Leadership was his method and should be ours.  There was never a question about his position or authority. Still, He refused to be placed on a pedestal and develop some kind of religious hierarchy that has invaded the church world of our time.  It appears that we have lost some of the vision of the Church being The Body of Christ, and a body has many parts, with each part playing a particular role and having importance for the body to function to perfection. 

When I see men of God appearing to lord, their position over people, I run the other way from that group.  I have never felt that I had to demand people recognize my position because I knew and know that whatever gift I have from God will bring me before whomever I need to be brought before. That gift will be recognized and as I walk humbly before the Lord respected.

I do not like “titles” because they tend to separate or inflate.  If you want them, that is between you and God; I will not trouble you with my personal belief.  If Christ is exhibited in my life and the gift, He has placed in me is exercised under the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, it will be recognized and given what place of respect God deems appropriate.  

Does that gift make me better than anyone else?  Absolutely Not!  It makes me unique only because it is my niche in God’s program, and you are unique in yours, and together we sow, water, nurture, and God gives the increase.  We are a Body connected by every joint and sinew spiritually, with the Blood of Jesus flowing to every individual cell bringing life and health!  That is the Glorious Church that Jesus is Building!

I pray that God will bless you as you go through your day, and I encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit to rekindle the “Spirit of Serving” in your heart in a new measure today. 

Blessings abundantly as you go through the remainder of your week in Him!