More Like Jesus

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Love in Action

He was close to the end of his ministry. He had rode in on a donkey colt and been glorified among the people. What lay ahead was his trial and then his death.

In a quiet moment alone with the ones he had grown to love as a human Jesus did something extraordinary. He showed them what it is to really serve.

The feet were culturally the lowliest part of a person. This is still true in the Middle East today. This is why it is so insulting to get a shoe thrown at you.

In Jesus’ time the one who was hired last in a house would wash the feet of the travelers or guests that came in to the house. Jesus did it himself: lovingly and quietly.

Jesus did this so we would know that service is the action behind love.

Service No One Can See

In Colossians 3:23 Paul writes “everything you do- do as until the Lord”. This scripture can be applied to many things, but right now I want to look at service. What are you “doing” in the kingdom?

It could be singing in church, or preaching, or teaching a Sunday school class, but what about the less glamorous jobs? Driving kids to camp on a 14 hour round trip or sitting in a back office filing, or cleaning the church toilets? These things are just as important as singing, as teaching, as preaching.

Yet we often get a bad attitude about doing these kinds of jobs.

Get Over Yourself

Servants serve. They work. Living an all-out, full tilt, anything for Jesus kind of life means you will get your hands dirty. You will have to lay aside your preferences and your ego and sit in the back room for a while.

“Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me.” John 12:25-26

A Servant’s Heart

 Nothing matters unless it is coupled with love and faithfulness. Jesus was fully Lord and fully man. As a man he had grown to love the 12. He had lived with, eaten with, laughed with, and cried with these men. He knew them.

He knew who would betray him and he knew who would serve him until death. He knew what was coming and he chose to lower himself and prove a point.

Love does.

Love does the things no one else wants to do. Love does the hard things. Love does the things no one sees. Love serves the ones who don’t deserve it and the ones who do. Love serves even when it has the time and even when the time is growing short.

Love does. Jesus did. So should we.

Preaching to the Choir

I do not say these things to judge you. I say them because I was challenged by this story. 

In my mind’s eye I saw my Jesus, tired from a long day, disrobe and take on the garments of the lowliest servant. Gather the water, and then walk to the first disciple.

Can you see it?

He washed their feet. Like a slave or a servant would do. 

Then Jesus, moving on from that first disciple, lifting the basin, dumping out the old water, getting new water for the next person did this 11 more times. Over and over he served the ones who were with him. He served and loved even when it was not convenient. Oh that I can be like Jesus!

I want to do as Jesus did. I want to serve others in love.

Over and over.

Whether they deserve it or not, whether they appreciate it or not, I want to serve like Jesus.

Even when I am tired and sore, even when it is hard, even when the day has been long and all I want to do is rest, I want to serve.

I want to be like Jesus.

Lord, let me never forget the moment I saw your heart. That quiet moment, at the end of the day, when you were tired and nearing the end. You washed their feet. You served. You loved. Give me your heart Father. Give me your servant’s heart.