Re: Verse reading–John 13:1-17 (day four)
This was a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. The timetable was drawing closer to the cross. Jesus began a series of teaching aimed specifically at His disciples. Being fully God, Jesus knew what lay ahead, both for Him and for His disciples. He set out to prepare them to live out the Gospel. These lessons were critical for the disciples to learn if they were to accurately and clearly present Jesus’ message to the world. For Judas, this was a lesson in thinking of others instead of yourself…one last opportunity to repent of his selfish act of betrayal. (He did not learn the lesson!) For the rest, it was an act of love and a lesson on service to others. To love is to serve. Self-centeredness has no place in love. Albert Schweitzer once said, “The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” Are you seeking and have you found?
Thanks for the reminder that to love is to serve and that self-centeredness has no place in love. In fact, self-centerness is not a Christian value and we may find self-centered folks in all walks of life. Caring and concerns for one another is an act of compassionate and understanding of the diverse needs of those around us and are under the umbrella of love for mankind. In this blog, again we are reminded that Jesus is a servant leader who focused on succession planning of His ministry as His life chapter on earth was about to end. Great leader will focus on succession planning. A servant leader focuses on succession planning for advancing the mission as Jesus did. Caring and concerns for others are great examples of love for humanity. A little and small act of emotional support, caring, understanding, and concerns for others who may be different from us will go along way. Emotional intelligence is what needed. An act of love for humanity can move mountains, help heal human wounds and manage conflicts. Thanks for the reminder!