Dear Explorer,
Read John 13:1-5
Everyone wore sandals or walked barefoot on hot dusty roads back then. The shoes were removed at the door and the lowest rank of servant would wash each guests' feet as they arrived. It was refreshing for the guest and kept the home cleaner. On this night, an upper room had been secured and since no one was "the host" and no one wanted to stoop to the lowly task, no one had their feet washed. I wonder if there was some grumbling about this and whether there might have been some bickering whispered back and forth among the disciples, "You ought to do it!" "No, you do it!" "I'm not doing it!" "Not, me!"
Or maybe there was just the awkward silence as everyone quietly removed their own sandals and tried to get comfortable knowing that their feet were dirty. Were they all worried about staining the rug or upholstery? Since they probably were reclined on couches – they wouldn't want to put their dirty feet on the furniture. We don't know, but we do know that Jesus decided to serve them.
Look carefully at John 13:3. Jesus, knowing that He was King of Kings and Lord of Lords rose and began to wash their feet. What a strange, upside down concept this is!!!! This verse flips everything we know about greatness over to a new dimension. If you want to refresh your memory, we looked at Jesus' teaching on greatness on Day 215. Here He practiced what He preached.
I want you to know that serving others is only possible when we are secure in who we are. That's a big statement. Jesus knew who He was, so it was not humiliating to bend down and wash his apostle' feet. It didn't make him feel “less-than”. You can clean toilets without feeling less-than when you know you are filled with Jesus.
I keep a poster in my laundry room to remind me of who I am with Jesus inside of me. Let me share some of those with you.
Because I've invited Jesus into my core:
I am…
A child of God
Redeemed
An Heiress of God
Forgiven
Led by the Holy Spirit
A new creation
Living by faith – not by sight
Rescued from darkness
The apple of God's eye
Justified
Blessed
An overcomer
The light of the world
Transformed
More than a Conqueror
Able to do all things
Strengthened by Jesus Himself
Which one of these is most special to you?
Maybe you could make a card with two or three of them written down to remind you of who you are.
Serving becomes possible only as we are secure in who we are with Jesus inside of us.
In His service, dale
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