That was the first Bible verse Sawyer ever learned (and before she was two years old, to boot).
Humble Servant
As Jesus and His disciples met in the upper room before the Passover Feast, He put that service into action. Knowing His time was near, He got up and performed a job that was usually done by the lowliest of servants…He washed the disciples’ feet.
My sister/friend Tredessa and I have given free pedicures to some of inner city Denver’s inhabitants as part of a city-wide outreach and it was a pretty humbling, and sometimes uncomfortable, experience. Feet aren’t always the prettiest, neatest, cleanest parts of God’s creation. Can you imagine the feet of the disciples?? They couldn’t have been any better, yet Jesus washed them and dried them and showed them great care…and His actions ran deeper than just His physical touch. He knew they needed to be washed clean in their hearts.
Through this selfless act of service, Jesus set an example for us to follow. The King of Kings acted as the lowest of low and asks us to do the same.
Read: John 13:1-17
Watch: Jesus washes the disciples’ feet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmtAMUuFfkk
Do: Wash each others’ feet!
— Get a small pan of water and take turn serving each other by washing each others’ feet. Talk about how Jesus did this very thing and think of ways that your family can humbly serve others.
Pray: Lord, teach us to be more like you. Let us be sensitive to ways that we can serve others every day.
**Sidenote**
My favorite part of this whole exchange is when Peter all but refuses to allow Jesus to wash his feet.
John, 13:6 starts: He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
And so Peter answers, “Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and head as well.”
In that moment, he got it. If this is what it takes to be a part of You then I submit all of me to you; not just what you’re asking…all of me. So beautiful. Lord, I wanna live a life like this…