John 13: Servant

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” -John 13:3-5 (New International Version)

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God… He was cognizant of the glory that was rightfully His. He knew full well what He was capable of, who He was, whose He was and where He was going after His earthly life.

And this is why He:

…got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 

Because He knew who He was, He sought to begin to demonstrate His love in a way He knew generations to come would never forget… an intense love mankind will never deserve and will never fully fathom.

After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He was (and forever will be) the King of kings. Yet he knelt before those dirty feet – feet that had walked for miles and for days and gathered dirt and grime. And probably stunk and weren’t all that sightly.

And He washed them.

The King of kings did not consider it beneath Him to carry out a task only servants and slaves were supposed to perform.

In fact, come to think of it, He loves mankind so much – including you and me – that He did a lot of things He didn’t have to do. He knew the steep price His own righteous judgment required to save wretched humanity. Yet He chose to come to earth (knowing He could’ve just snapped His fingers and created a whole new earth), to take on the life of a man (thirsting, hungering and wandering), to teach and to heal (always being misunderstood, seldom being thanked) to serve (performing jobs meant only for society’s scorned) and to die (a cursed death).

He didn’t have to. But He did.

His love is so great that there are no righteous lengths He is not willing to go through. During His earthly life.Today.And beyond eternity.

Close your eyes. Feel His heart. Let His love wash over you.

And believe.