When someone asked the great theologian Karl Barth what his most profound discovery was, he said, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Those are the words to probably the most well-known children's hymn in the world.
If you were facing death, would you wash the feet of your family after dinner? That's what Jesus did at His last meal before going to the cross. Self-esteem and humility are not opposites; they are complementary. Instead of boasting on yourself, you boast about other's achievements. You deliberately strive to make others look better than yourself.
Jesus did more than tell His disciples to do His work. He demonstrated it. He loved them completely. He showed them He was willing to serve them. Did they understand He was demonstrating humility? From their later lives, it appears they got the message.
He told them to take up their cross and follow Him, then He showed them how to do it. Remember that last meal? He bathed the feet of all the disciples. Even Judas. Peter objected--Jesus, his Lord, washing his feet like a slave? He wanted no part of it. "You shall not wash my feet," he said.
But Jesus said, "If I don't wash your feet, you'll have no part of My kingdom." Remember Peter's response? "Oh. Then wash my hands and my head, too." Peter did a complete turnaround because he wanted to be wholly a part of Jesus' life.
Jesus said He came to serve, not be served. After he had washed all their feet, He said that now they were clean, all but one. Judas, who betrayed him. Would you wash the feet of someone you knew would betray you? Jesus lived what He preached, and He challenges us to do the same.
Jesus told us that now that He had shown us how to act, we should go and be like Him. If you do this, you will be blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment