While visiting my sister this past weekend, I got to hear someone different preach. He preached about the time when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17, and a few specific things stood out to me.
In verses 3-5, the pastor pointed out that we see the God of everything becoming a servant to wash the servants’ feet! God Himself, washing the nasty, dirty feet of mere mortals, people who walk sandal-shod in mucky streets at that! We see God Himself serving His servants!
In verses 6-8 we see Peter being very uncomfortable with it, even refusing Jesus’ gesture. Jesus talks to him about it (verse 8), and then Peter goes overboard in the other direction in verse 9. Jesus again speaks about what He is doing (verse 10).
Here the pastor pointed out that when the Master is good to you, sit down and humbly receive it. Most of us are not comfortable with someone washing our feet. It takes some humility to receive it.
He then pointed out the other side of it: It takes humility to be the one doing the washing. Many of us think we’re too good to wash feet, or at least the feet of certain people. But the Master Himself served the servants, setting an example for us (verses 12-17).
The Master is good to His servants. His servants are to be good to each other and to everyone they meet, showing the goodness of the Master.