Service

“After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13:5).

Jesus Washing Peter's Feet (Ford Madox Brown)

Twenty centuries ago, Christ told His apostles that He came not to serve, but to be served…

“Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’  When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” (Matthew 20:23-28).

And I have been reflecting on how revolutionary a concept this idea of service-leadership is.  Think about what leadership looked like in Ancient Rome.  The leaders were dictators.  They controlled the lives and deaths of their subjects.  The Roman Empire stretched across thousands of kilometres of the known world.  It was rich and the Roman citizens were important.  They were so important that they set all the rules and decided all the laws.  It was Roman justice and Roman religion that prevailed.  They enslaved people in the world without any thought about it because all people within their world were their property.  And this was no different from other civilizations that had gone before…  And then Christ was born and He turned this concept of leadership on its head.  Suddenly leaders did not prevail over others, instead they submitted in service to them.  Christ washed the feet of His followers – He did not ask them to wash His feet.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13:3-5).

And I have been thinking about this today.  You see, I recently had some surgery.  While I was recovering, many people helped me.  My husband, my mother, my sisters, my brothers, my children, the nurses, the doctors.  In fact, there were people employed with the sole purpose of helping me in my recovery form that surgery.  And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about the Service of Christ.  For there is such great love in the service of others, and since Christ is perfect love, I have come to understand a little more of what He meant when He served His disciples and when He serves me – even now.

And when I think of my sense of pride and entitlement, I am ashamed.  Because my God humbled Himself to be of service.  And I fail to do the same over and over again…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.