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Do as I do… set the example!
In reading this scripure from John I think of all the teachers I had along the way. Some were kind and gentle and left you feeling as if you never wanted to leave them. Others were hard and demanding but you still learned though maybe not as well. Our Lord ask for us to have a relationship with him where he teaches us in our private time and then ask us to go out and “Wash the feet of Other’s” with the teachings he has given.
Now I feel on my path that all my teachers have given me talent and abilities but my relationship with Jesus has given me all I need to contuine.We need to go out and “Wash the feet” by serving others. We must encourgage others in their time of need (Good and Bad),We must not miss that opportunity to help someone. The Holy Sprirt is moving in us, don’t miss the tap on the shouder! We need to just stop and listen to those who need to speak to us. We must show random acts of kindness, not just those planned, and teach those who want to learn more.
I have learned much in my year at CCC. Two years ago I never would have done anything like this! I read this the other day, “You gain strenght,courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt. This Church and members have helped me do this with classes, Alan’s way of telling the story and Rob helping us serve outside the walls have helped equip me to go out and talk to others. So lets all go out and set an example for others in a Christ-like manner.
Thanks, Susan! I love it when I see people following the example of Jesus and de-elevating themselves to elevate someone else! It’s so counter-cultural…
Our Lord, our Savior, the King of Kings, The creator of the heavens and earth, loved us so much that He came to be with us, to save us and to be a servant. How amazing and cool is that? We thank Him and honor Him by following His example. Now don’t try to go out and create a galaxy but love on someone today who needs it!
Where’s Herb? I feel insecure NOT knowing Herb was up at 4 a.m. infringing on the Chinese people’s time with God!
It struck me that what Jesus did in in John 13 was extremely uncomfortable, inconvenient, counter-cultural, and just flat out not an easy thing to do in his day… especially being a highly touted rabbi.
And yet… I keep trying to advance the gospel through convenience, comfort, and bending to culture instead of creating it. A.W. Tozer writes: “The truth is that every advance that we make for God and for His cause must be made at our inconvenience. If it does not inconvenience us at all, there is no cross in it! If we have been able to reduce spirituality to a smooth pattern and it cost us nothing —no disturbance, no bother and no element of sacrifice in it — we are not getting anywhere with God.”
Here’s to getting somewhere with God. May I be disturbed, bothered, sacrificial, and un-smooth as a Jesus follower. May His kingdom advance.
Thanks Susan. U DA WOMAN. Glad God has you at Cumberland.
Yesterday, I was on my way to game night with my small group and I stopped by the grocery store. As I was walking up to to the store, I saw a women drop one of her bags on the ground, her groceries scattered. Here is the amazing part. I younger women walking with a cane, hurried over to her and leaned on the car bending over to help.
Was it a comfortable situation for either of them, not at the beginning. By the time that I got to them, they were chatting about every day things like they were old friends.
When I was in the store I asked the young women with the cane why she did what she did. She told me that there have been a ton of people that have helped her along the way.
I hope that I am able to think of others first before myself and help until it hurts.
Call me crazy, but I think our next FIA should be in the spring, and it should be a free car wash in our parking lot! People who are waiting on their car to be washed will get a physical FOOT WASHING…we can make it fun and spa like and people will share things with the “foot washers” that they never thought they would share because of the love and compassion of Jesus we are showing toward them.
Shouldn’t we BE like JESUS and serve by washing feet? Also, Jesus says, “you also should wash one another’s feet.”
Can we take this passage literal? What do you think?
Jesus washes the feet of His disciples, then tells them to do the same thing. Jesus provides an example of restoring our brothers and sisters with “mercy draped in service” as we wash each others feet. When someone falls into sin we ought to lovingly come alongside of them to restore them, helping them to come to repentance, so that they may confess their sins and be cleansed.
Maybe the reason our worship lacks the power to reach other people for Jesus is because we have dirty feet? Before we can help others in the body, first we have to make sure our own feet don’t stink. All of us need to confess our sins to Him every time our feet get dirty and let our Lord wash our feet. Then we will be able to wash each others feet.
Lord, today I pray for you to wash my feet. Don’t let me try to use my own self-righteousness as a deodorant foot spray. I want feet that are really clean and don’t stink! Precious Lord Jesus, please wash my feet. Amen
Why is it so easy to get in that “comfortable” routine…and hard to break out of it?? I know that is one area I struggle with – I sure do like to be comfortable. Thanks for the devotion today to remind me of how God wants me to serve others…and not always be comfortable!
Thanks Susan.
Herb- Where art thou?
Kacy- There is one flaw with your washing people’s feet idea. Rob is the Pastor in charge of FIA and he has podophobia! (fear of feet)
Alan/Peter – I continued to show no mercy for the chinese time zone. I was up at 4, but this morning was more about strengthening the trinity of my marriage…through prayer.
Kacy – your foot washing idea makes me uncomfortale..It must be good.
Tozer amazes me, and hits me right where it hurts. I want to serve from the comfort of my living room. I don’t want to deal with awkward, or uncomfortable people. I don’t want to sacrifice my standards or my ‘way’ of being just to make others happy. All that translates to = I don’t want to be like Jesus, because I still want to be Herb centered.
Sounds like I need to serve more.
Susan – thank you!
Let’s get on with the foot washing (ours and others)!
Sometimes I have thought Alan is disturbed and bothered… in a great way. There has got to be intensity to get over the lethargy (right now I am in those Friday afternoon, slimy slug doldrums) that keeps me pinned down. Yes, Kacy is crazy, but Hallelujah for being a “whacked-out” Believer. Herb is crazy, for being up at 4 AM as well as being lucid enough to write and share his God-given thoughts with us. Ever watch JV worship on that red Gibson guitar of his – when he really cuts loose? We are all crazy, and we are in the best of company. Festus called Paul insane. They said John the Baptizer had a demon. The religious leaders said Jesus was demon-possessed and raving mad. What this world needs is more Jesus-possessed, Holy Spirit guided whack-jobs.
Thanks Susan. Your journey is a real encouragement to me. To follow Jesus’ example is the only way to go. Washing feet in the 21st century is so relevant. In the 1st century it was all about refreshing others and being hospitable. This is our same calling today. We must follow Jesus and be aggressive in refreshing others and showing hospitality to strangers. See you at FIA Sunday.