Five hour airport delays. An angry clown glaring through the car window. Mr. Bendo. Cacti.
Coffee - lots and lots of coffee. Ministry with Mexicans.
That's a small, brief summation of June's beginnings in my life. The trip took me to some of my favorite places in the country to see some of my favorite people. Over the course of those nine days, only three did not consist of traveling by either plane or by car.
Smack dab in the middle of all this fun and adventure, I was challenged by the words of Jesus in John 13. Listen to what He tells His disciples after washing their feet, "'You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.'" (John 13:13-15, 17)
Probably a familiar story and image to many of us. Passover meal, Jesus' last supper with His disciples before His crucifixion. The humble, perfect Jesus washing the feet of His sinful disciples. But wait. Stop and think about that a little bit more, a little bit deeper for just a moment.
First of all: the God of the universe becoming man. Laying aside all His privileges as the Son of God to dwell among sinful, disgusting man. Second: knowing these people would soon betray Him and abandon Him, He kneels down to wash their dirty, dusty feet. Kind of a neat image of what He did for us by dying on the cross, eh?
The Lord, the Teacher. Washing the feet of His disciples. An example that has been left for us to follow. Something we may know; something we may have often heard. But how often do we do such acts of humility? Jesus didn't say it was enough to simply know. He said that if we do them, we are blessed.
So, whose feet have you washed lately? Humble acts of service appear in many forms and in many ways. Mowing your neighbor's lawn. Baking cookies for the shut-ins. Visiting the nursing home. Babysitting for free.
Go serve the Lord. But don't do it for yourself. Do it all for the glory of our great God and Savior.
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