Sunday, August 3, 2014

I Have Given You an Example

John 13:12-17

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."


Jesus quite often spoke in parables to convey a message. He used ordinary daily life events, things we could identify with. Not only did He give examples of how His followers were to live, He was the example. All that He spoke was truth.

I think pride is the number one sin we all have. So much is linked to it. I think it is difficult not to sometimes be self-centered, to want our way. Anything we do to suit ourselves is pride...even in the littlest things. We can argue against it till the proverbial cows come home, but we all are guilty.

Jesus is talking here about servanthood, that each of us is not to act as though we are greater than the next person. He is our example, as He states. If Jesus was able to wash His own disciples' feet, and He was Master and Teacher, how can we not do the same?

Do we consider everyone...everyone...as worthy of being someone we would serve? Or do we pick and choose? Be honest now! This sure is worth questioning. I'm not saying we give and give to promote dependency. I'm saying even in the day to day things, like not pushing ahead of someone else, or giving in to an argument even if we're right! Oh, we can think the more we give in the more we will be taken advantage of. Didn't that happen to Jesus? People wanted the healing, the food and followed Him for that. Some got it right and believed in Him...

Lord, help me to be more of a servant. Let me not put my desires above others. How we can so be determined we have to always be right. 

He has been our example. What an amazing example He has been.

Philippians 2:3,5-8 - Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

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