Have you noticed that in the world ‘serving’ is for the low ranking members of society? The ‘have nots’ are expected to serve those who ‘have’. The ‘unfortunate’ are expected to serve the ‘fortunate’. The ‘untitled’ are expected to serve the ‘titled’.
Have you also noticed that Jesus taught and expressed servanthood from strength? So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? John13:12 AMP
Good question: Do we understand what Jesus had done?
There is a great lesson of humility in the text, but there was also a powerful picture of grace. Peter’s respect for Jesus and understanding of culture led him to say, "You shall never wash my feet!" Peter could not let Jesus wash his feet! It would be humiliating for Peter to allow Jesus to do for him what he should be doing for Jesus. In most churches today, Peter would have probably heard a lot of amen’s. Therefore, Peter must have been shocked when Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Before we can serve others, we must allow Jesus to serve us. This is grace!
We serve because we have received! As each one has received a gift, minister (serve) it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers (serves), let him do it as with the ability which God supplies …1 Peter 4:10-11NKJV What a relief! What a blessing. We don’t supply, we simply dispense. God gives, then we pass it on! We don’t have to artificially come up with talents to bless others.
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do in your turn what I have done to you. John 3:14-15 AMP In your turn, wash one another’s feet. When I serve you, I express grace. When you serve me, you express grace. Either way, we both are blessed! To allow others to express grace to us is an act of grace as well.
1 Peter says: Live as free people, yet without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but live at all times as servants of God. AMP Live as free people and be at all times as servants of God. This can only be done through grace. Serving through grace is to serve from the mindset of God’s children. To serve from the mindset of a servant is to serve from the mindset of a slave. A slave serves with anxiety and fear. A child serves with joy and freedom. I recently found a great example of the difference:
The servant is appreciated on the basis of what he does.
The child is appreciated on the basis of who he is.
The servant starts the day anxious and worried if his work will please his master.
The child rests in the secure love of his family.
The servant is accepted because of the quality of his workmanship.
The child is accepted because of relationship.
The servant is accepted because of his productivity and performance.
The child belongs because of his position as a person.
At the end of the day the servant has peace of mind only if he is sure he has proven his worth by his work. The next morning his anxiety begins again.
The child can be secure all day and know tomorrow will not change his status.
When a servant fails, his whole position is at stake. He might lose his job.
When a child fails, he will be grieved because he hurt his parents, but he is not afraid of being thrown out. His basic confidence is in belonging and being loved. His performance does not change his performance or stability.
Do we understand what Jesus had done? Jesus was teaching them to serve by grace. Jesus was teaching the disciples to serve an expression of grace. Serving as a child of God is a liberating experience of grace. Serving as a slave leads to burnout, discouragement and self righteousness. If your service for God is not full of life, ask yourself:
Do I have the mindset of a child or a slave?
When we have a mind set of a slave, it is and always will be ‘all about us’. However, when we serve as children, it is all about Him. When we serve as a slave, it is heavy and ill fitting. We always wonder if we’ve done enough. On the contrary, serving as a child out of the rhythms of grace is light and easy. (See Matt. 11:28-30 AMP) Fear is replaced by faith. Effort is replaced by fruit. Dread is replaced by joy.
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