Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day six)
[Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. John 13:4
If you want to become great, then become a servant to all.-Jesus, Matthew 20:26.
Jesus took the form of a servant. He took off his Rabi/teacher garb, then put on what a servant would normally wear in order to wash people’s feet. I wonder if that was hard for Jesus to condescend to that position, to lower himself? I find myself, often enough, out of some sense of self-importance trying to hold onto personal significance (greatness), not give it up. That’s my knee jerk, self-absorbed reaction. It is as if I might lose something of myself, some semblance of status or position, or become less, if I were to take the position of a servant.
The irony is Jesus did not dwindle into becoming a servant, he became (in the eyes of his disciples) great. Even in my own personal experience, the people I admire most are those who serve others, when they could easily demand service from others.
How about you? Will you be great today? Greatness does not cling to privilege or power or status, greatness gives it up in order to serve others.
It was more comfortable for me to wash anothers feet than when
he washed my feet! l can relate to Peter’s reaction about the Lord intending to wash his feet. Humbling experience. May have been something to do with pride? IDK