The Master Became the Servant

John 13:8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

Jesus set the example for what he expects his disciples to do. Just as a teacher models a task for her students, Jesus modeled servanthood for the disciples. He emphasized the necessity for humility by stating to them that "no servant is great than his master". This point was made perfectly when the Master became the Servant. Jesus humbled himself to the servant position to show that God's Kingdom is not of this world. The Master washed the servants' feet, demonstrating that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Our job is to care for each other's needs, putting each other first at all times, as Jesus did. In the focus verse, Jesus tells Peter he has no part with Him unless He washes his feet. I've pondered this a long time today. My take away...In order to truly understand what Jesus did for us and the calling we have been given, we must accept the fact that Jesus became nothing in order for us to have everything. How humbling.

Comments

Mercy and Compassion

Jude 22-23 Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. This is something I have struggles with, loving those who frustrate me. How can we be merciful to those who are "corrupt" without being judgmental? It is definitely not our place to judge one another, it is our place to love one another. Sometimes loving the people who are rude or cruel is the hardest part of being a Christian. My humanity would like to judge people for their behaviors and choices and lash out at them. I believe we are only able to show true mercy and compassion for others when we accept these for ourselves from Jesus and then He lives them through us. Allowing God to change our hearts in order that Jesus' mercy and compassion shine through is a journey. It's not always easy. On those difficult days, I remain quiet and ask God to love on me, so I...

The Heart of Jesus

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. I have had a difficult time finding a single verse today. I have been all over my Bible, reading and thinking. I'm settling on this verse, mostly because it is closely related to one of my favorite verses. I sometimes get caught up in thinking I need to do certain things to grow in my faith. These things are not inherently bad, nor are they necessarily good. Two big stumbling blocks for me are fasting and tithing. I find myself getting hooked into the religious value of them rather than the relational value. I find that spending time with God gives me a clearer picture of my own motives for wanting to do these things. I find that I usually feel the need to fast when I'm feeling poorly about my body image. I find that wanting to tithe usually comes after reading verses in the Old Testament about God blessing Israel for its offerings. Both of these are mot...

For Mom

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. This is a post for Mom. She is the embodiment of these words written by Paul. When I think of Mom and who God created her to be, this is it. Each of these phrases describes her perfectly. Mom learned very early on in her walk with Jesus to let Him have His way in her life. Who she is and has been to people is the testament to that. Her patience with a super naughty 2-year old, namely me, rivaled that of Job. I don't ever remember her getting angry. Quite frankly, Mom and the word angry in the same sentence is laughable. She never bragged or boasted about us (even though we know she's proud of us) because that wouldn't be showing love to her listener. Mom was never rude, she was always serving others, and she was never jud...

Abbie Coffey

Search This Blog