CharlieDean

I was leading a devotional time on the sandy south shore of Lake Superior with a group of guys this weekend and we were contemplating together John 13:1-17, where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.  Two things struck me:

1. Jesus washes Judas’ feet, knowing full well what Judas was about to do.  After all his talk about “loving your enemies,” and “doing good to those who persecute you,” Jesus models for us exactly what he means regarding how we are to treat those we perceive as “enemies.”  I’m afraid that in some hyper-violent wings of the evangelical church, Jesus would have been fully justified to take preemptive action and slit Judas’ throat.  I wonder if the church that has been in the news the last couple of days – the one that is sponsoring the Koran burning – even considered washing the feet of the Muslims in their community instead.  And yes, my criticism of them is hypocritical, in that I often choose the cowardly road of running away/hiding/ignoring my “enemies,” and Jesus models for me that I am to serve them, in love.  It’s tough to follow Jesus in this way!
2. I like the NIV rendering in verse one: “He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love.”  So, if you want to see how Jesus loves people, forget the miracles, or teachings, or compassion, or “headship,” or Jesus as CEO, or anything else.  If you want to see the full-extent of the type of love that God is talking about it’s not found in feeling-hippy-feelings-of-good-will-towards-everyone.  No, it’s found in getting hands dirty and serving them – doing things that are “below one’s station,” that one isn’t required to do.  It requires sacrifice.  So, for example, I can say that I love my wife all that I want, but until I sacrifice my own wants, desires, time, etc. for her good, then I refuse to love her like Jesus.  Again, it’s sometimes tough to follow Jesus.

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