Complicated Service
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“Jesus…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… ‘I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’ ” (John 13:4, 5 and 15 NIV).
Carol and Pat were good friends who loved being part of the women’s Bible study. Since leadership was shared in the group, they readily agreed to lead the next week’s discussion on servanthood, but no one was prepared for their realistic presentation.
Carol sat quietly in front of the group for several minutes, but Pat was nowhere in sight. The audience restlessly began looking around to see when the study would begin and who would do the teaching that Tuesday morning.
Finally Pat came in a side door with a towel draped over one arm and holding a china bowl and pitcher. She approached Carol and simply said, “I love you, Carol, and I want to wash your feet this morning as a sign of my love.” Carol’s face registered surprise at first but then, with a smile, she agreed.
As she bent to unbuckle Carol’s sandals, Pat turned her head slightly to one side and with a grimace said, “Oh, you must have walked here this morning. Your feet are really dirty. But that’s okay, I’ll wash them. I also see you haven’t had a pedicure in a long time.” With only the tips of her fingers touching Carol’s shoes, she tentatively began to remove them. We who sat nearby could see her eyes rolling as if to say, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
When the water poured over Carol’s feet, she abruptly pulled back, saying, “OW! That’s cold water! Didn’t you heat it up first? I thought you were doing this to make me feel loved. Now I think you’re just showing off your so-called servanthood!”
With each woman glaring at the other, they wordlessly walked off the platform, leaving us to reflect not only on what we had observed, but on our own attitudes toward both giving and receiving service. Needless to say, discussion that morning was animated as we struggled with aligning our service with Christ’s.
I don’t do service very well, Father. I too often give grudgingly and receive hesitantly. Thank you for being patient with me, but I also want to learn to serve more like Jesus.
Questions: Think of a time recently when you served and another time when you were served. What were the characteristics of the service?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
sharon b., thank you for your openness.
I don’t do receiving to well.
Good imagery. I can relate to both sides at different times of my life.
this was done to my daughter and i as part of our catecisim….very meaningful indeed. father washed our feet, and we washed others.
I remembered the 1st time I saw this done I was visiting a friends church and the pastor started washing one of the parisher’s feet. It was such a humbling experience for me. The lord wanted to show all of us there at church that evening the power of serving and the humbleness of being served. It was such a thought provoking experience and a lesson the Lord was teaching me. I had not thought about that lesson until this morning with this devotional. Today in my walk and conversation with my Lord I want to reflect on this teaching again. This message was meant for me to receive again and I know the Lord is wanting taking me to another level of understanding to the meaning of serving. Thank-you
Denise Clarke