Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and was going to God, arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.        John 13:3-5 (WEB)
When I think of Jesus as a servant, this is the passage that comes to mind. God-in-the-flesh washing the dirty, stinky feet of these men. I would have reacted like Peter – hiding my feet under my coat and refusing to let my Teacher do such a thing! And then when Jesus explained that if He was not allowed to serve me in such a way that I could not spend eternity with him – “Well, Lord, just go ahead and bathe all of me!â€
Everything Jesus did, however, was about serving the common people. He made a point to take those who were thought as “less than†and elevate them as worthy of His care.
He healed a widow’s son. (Luke 7) He told a parable about a widow, using her as an example on how to pray persistently. (Luke 18) He acknowledge the unclean, sick woman and showed me not to be afraid to go after Him in my desperation. (Luke 8 ) And the sinful woman, (Luke 7) Jesus points to her, not in condemnation, but as my example on how to worship Him – giving all that I have and without embarrassment.
No one was too disgustingly sick (like lepers), too young (children), or too old (Peter’s mother), to receive Jesus’ compassionate loving attention or His gentle touch.
Whom shall I serve today?
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputes, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, holding up the word of life…Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Philippians 2:5-16 (WEB)
