October 28, 2022

John 13: 14 -16 (NIV)

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I . . . have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, or is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Why did Jesus make himself nothing? So we all could be something.*

When Jesus said that he had set an example, he wasn’t referring to foot-washing literally. His example was in the attitude – humility. Jesus admits that his disciples are right to call him Teacher and Lord but they don’t fully understand the significance of those positions as they pertain to him. So he shows them what he means by lowering himself to wash their feet.

Like the disciples, we think of people in “high places” as being too good to stoop to perform servants’ work. We might even think of ourselves as one of those people. As usual, Jesus has a different way of looking at things. From his position of honor, Jesus demonstrates a new standard for greatness. And when your superior humbles himself, you should, too – because no servant is greater than his master.

Jesus has presented a new principle – now how does it fit into your life? In what areas does pride have a foothold (no pun intended!)? Perhaps you think of yourself as “humble enough,” making it okay to hoard that little bit of conceit. Humility can be faked if your acting skills are good enough, but God knows it’s only a show. We will never reach Jesus’ level of greatness until we are as low as we can go.

True humility comes from standing next to the cross.*