What would you consider most remarkable among Jesus’ acts: feeding the 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes, walking on the water at Galilee, or raising dead Lazarus? These were amazing acts. But I wonder if another wasn’t even more indicative of Jesus’ greatness, when with the 12 in that upper room, he took off his outer garments, knelt down with a basin of water and a towel, and began to wash his disciples’ feet.
What did they think?
I often wonder what the angels thought as they witnessed the Son of God bending down to scrub 12 pairs of dirty feet. I wonder what the disciples felt later when they realized it was divine hands that had washed their feet. Here was an un-expected greatness in Jesus. Miracles? One would expect such things from the Son of God. Washing feet? Never!
“Do you understand what I have done?”
He asked this question because there is hardly a more difficult principle for us to grasp than this. Consumed with the desire to be great, we rush to fulfill our need to be important. In our rush, however, we are oblivious to the needs of others, the very needs, ironically, that could lead us to true greatness. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” There is no higher calling, no more amazing action, no truer sign of greatness in all the universe than servanthood. We know this because he whose name was exalted as greater than all other names was exalted precisely because he emptied himself and became a servant. We too will become great when we learn to live as Christ lived—for others. Jesus did many amazing things, not the least of which was rising from the dead. The empty tomb surely testifies to the greatness of the risen Lord. But if I understand my Bible, it is the testimony of the occupied tomb which is greater still, where the Suffering Servant laid down his life for us all. |L
David Langford ministers with the Quaker Avenue Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. He and his wife Lisa have three children: Trent, Devon, and Abbey.
