"Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
...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 13:1b, 4-5
Perhaps it is because much of my time as a young mother is spent on bended knee cleaning crumbs off the floor, wiping little faces, cleaning dirty bottoms, and drawing evening baths, that I was prompted to think of my "own in the world" after reading the words of John 13. In my daily actions, including those that can be categorized as "mundane" or "routine," am I demonstrating the full extent of my love? So often such actions are done in haste, or even performed while grumbling. I allow the trivial nature of many household tasks to minimize the potential significance behind them as young eyes watch my every move. The NIV study Bible offers the following footnote on verse 5,
"A menial task, normally performed by a servant. On this occasion there was no servant and no one else volunteered. Jesus' action was during the meal, not upon arrival, done deliberately to emphasize a point. It was a lesson in humility, but it also set forth the principle of selfless service that was soon to be exemplified in the cross."
There are no servants to be found in our humble abode, and I'm pretty confident no one is volunteering to step in and perform the menial tasks I'm responsible for on any given day (with the exception of the grandmas who unfortunately are many miles away), so that leaves me. I am the one given the opportunity to serve in humility, make decisions deliberately for the greater good of my family, and exemplify a spirit of selflessness as I go about my day. There is great beauty to be found in the simple and loving act of Jesus washing his disciples' feet, but I also take great inspiration in his taking the time to teach them through his actions. Am I taking the time to teach our little ones through daily acts of service? Are my actions a reflection of the love I have for each member of my family? Sadly, they aren't always. But, I'm thankful for reminders such as these from John 13 that allow me to take my eyes off the dried cereal on my floor (especially the shriveled Rice Krispies that I swear have the same adhesive power as super glue), and refocus them on things that are good.
While preaching from Titus 2, our pastor recently stated, "A failure to grasp the big picture infiltrates our daily perspective." The act of washing the disciples' feet was performed for reasons greater than mere cleanliness. Likewise, the acts I perform as homemaker, serve a greater purpose. In all things, my primary goal is to live out my days to the glory of God.
"A menial task, normally performed by a servant. On this occasion there was no servant and no one else volunteered. Jesus' action was during the meal, not upon arrival, done deliberately to emphasize a point. It was a lesson in humility, but it also set forth the principle of selfless service that was soon to be exemplified in the cross."
There are no servants to be found in our humble abode, and I'm pretty confident no one is volunteering to step in and perform the menial tasks I'm responsible for on any given day (with the exception of the grandmas who unfortunately are many miles away), so that leaves me. I am the one given the opportunity to serve in humility, make decisions deliberately for the greater good of my family, and exemplify a spirit of selflessness as I go about my day. There is great beauty to be found in the simple and loving act of Jesus washing his disciples' feet, but I also take great inspiration in his taking the time to teach them through his actions. Am I taking the time to teach our little ones through daily acts of service? Are my actions a reflection of the love I have for each member of my family? Sadly, they aren't always. But, I'm thankful for reminders such as these from John 13 that allow me to take my eyes off the dried cereal on my floor (especially the shriveled Rice Krispies that I swear have the same adhesive power as super glue), and refocus them on things that are good.
While preaching from Titus 2, our pastor recently stated, "A failure to grasp the big picture infiltrates our daily perspective." The act of washing the disciples' feet was performed for reasons greater than mere cleanliness. Likewise, the acts I perform as homemaker, serve a greater purpose. In all things, my primary goal is to live out my days to the glory of God.
Becky, I needed to read this today. Thank you for sharing this!
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