Humility Towards One Another
Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper and laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself… So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. (John 13:3-5, 14-15)
Love and Lordship in Focus…How are you responding to His example and command? Christ never promised His commands would be easy…simply that they would be good and if we love Him we will obey them (John 13:34-35)!
Our next “One Another” is one of great humility and we see it in Christ’s teaching and especially in His modeling of it in John 13:4-5, 14-15. We are called to “wash one another’s feet.” Now that requires humility! So what is humility and how do we share it with others?
What a great practice, literally and figuratively. If you’ve ever participated in a foot-washing event you know that both the washing of other’s and allowing other’s to wash your feet are both acts of humility in exposing ourselves emotionally and spiritually.
It’s also very interesting, and I talk about this in my book, “The Authority of Love, Second Edition,” that Jesus does several things in this setting all tied to His Love and Authority. In John 13:1 it states that He shows them the full extent of His Love. Verse 3 declares that He knows Who He Is (essence of Humility and what He is preparing to do out of Humility). In vv. 4-5 He literally removes His robe, puts on a towel and humbly serves by washing each of His disciples feet, knowing that in one way or another each of them was going to abandon Him in a very short time.
Finally, we find in vv. 12-17 that Jesus ties all of this together to teach and model for His disciples then, and for us as His disciples today, that everything He has done for them is an act of Authority. His perfect Love is the Authority and in His Kingdom this is always done through a humble servant’s heart, hands and feet.
I have set an example before You, not simply of washing feet, but all that it entails in humility, service, and ultimately this is the Authority of Love…the only Authority that will accomplish His Kingdom will!
He says to them in v. 14, that they (we) should act accordingly by “washing One Another’s feet” in following His example. I believe this includes the literal act of washing feet from time to time but even more so the humble act of service in loving relationships is what He desires for us to act in His Love and Authority (influence) in the lives of others for His Kingdom and Glory!
We certainly can wash feet and serve but we will only do it in unconditional, selfless, self-giving Love that prefers God above all others when we have first learned to Love Him and then humbly know and love who we are in Christ. Then will we learn and grow in lovingly and humbly serving others with no expectations but simply to show them His love and point them to Him.
I’ve shared that this “One Another” series includes 59 “One Anothers” in Scripture. To be clear that’s how many times “one another” appears in The New Testament. However, it is interesting that all of these phrases point to the ultimate “one another” which is to “love one another” and that phrase alone appears 11 of the 59 times in Scripture.
More to come…
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – The only way to love as Christ has loved us is to do so in humility. If you do not know and love Him and know and love who you are in Him (humility) then You will never know the Authority of His Love.
Love in Action –
- Spend time with Him in His Word and prayer daily – read and study the Scriptures in this post as a way to start
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you
- Do you know the foot-washing Christ as an ultimate act of loving authority?
- Do you know who you truly are in Him (humility)?
- How are you serving others in loving humility as an overflow of Christ in you?
Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.
Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father help me to know the humility of Christ and love as He did. In His Name. Amen.