On the night before His death, when His friends were battling and competing over which of them was greatest and most important in the kingdom of God, Jesus showed them true greatness. He did this, not by seizing a throne, but by grabbing a towel. In John 13 we see Jesus revealed as the Sovereign Servant—strong and secure, yet “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). In first century Palestine, no act was more demeaning that washing another person’s feet. The climate was dry, roads were unpaved, and people did a lot of walking in the dirt. At dinner, they reclined on thin mats around a low table in close proximity to one another. So the host typically provided a servant who would stand by the door with a basin, pitcher of water, and a towel. As guests arrived, their sandals were removed by the servant, who washed and dried each foot. If no servant was present, the men would typically look to a woman or child to grab the towel. But in that culture, a man would never want to admit an inferior status by washing the feet of his peers. Imagine the stunned silence then, when Jesus stooped to perform the task that was supposed to be reserved for the least important person in the room! His disciples were too proud to go this low. The job was too menial for them. But Jesus, fully aware of His status as Sovereign Lord of the universe, bowed in humble love to serve each one of them (v 1-6)—including Judas! (v 21-30). Peter was embarrassed. If serving requires humility, being served may require even more humility. But Jesus’ response shows that His act was more than an example of service. It was pointing them to His cleansing sacrifice at the cross, the supreme display of self-humiliation. Sins are forever washed away for those who receive Him, though daily cleansing maintains fellowship (v 7-11). Jesus humbled Himself all the way to Calvary in order to rescue us from sin and death. If we are saved, we are called to serve. If we are fighting, we should be fighting for the towel! We don’t serve to earn God’s approval or pay Him back. We serve others because we have been greatly served by Jesus (v 12-17). So friends, let us “love one another.” Let us reflect the heart of our Savior by washing feet in lowly service. Let us display our love for the weakest and oldest and youngest. Let us reach out across ethnic and cultural barriers. Let us meet the needs of the disabled and care for the lonely. Let us forgive the one who has wronged us. Let us refuse to hear gossip about a brother or sister. Let us speak kindly and believe the best about one another. For by this, all people will know that we are disciples of Jesus (v 31-34). For further meditation: