GIF Serving Others

“Many who are last in this kingdom shall be first in the kingdom of God, and many who are first in this kingdom shall be last in the kingdom of God”
(Matthew 19:30)

Serving Others
by Larry Burkett

At the Last Supper, when Jesus went into the upper room He took off His clothing, except for a loin cloth, put a towel over His shoulders, and then, as His apostles came into the room, He began washing their feet.

When He came to Peter, who was more impetuous than the others, “Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ ” (John 13:8). Why do you think he said that? What would you have said?

There was a hierarchy in Jerusalem at the time, and at the bottom of the system were the people Jesus called His disciples: workmen, fishermen, carpenters, and laborers. Below them were slaves, and at the lowest level of slavery was a foot servant—someone who washed other people’s feet.

When Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet, the Savior said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8). Then he went on to say (in verses 14-15), “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”

Jesus was on His way to being the most exalted person in the kingdom of God; therefore, he had to show them that He was willing to take the very least position in the kingdom. He wanted to be the least glorified before He became the most exalted.

Jesus set a perfect example of how to put others before self.

Could you humble yourself to wash someone else’s feet like Jesus did?

Daily Scripture Reading: 

2 Chronicles 36:22-23
Ezra 1:1-4:5