"When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
-John 13:12-14
In John 13, we see Jesus set an example for His disciples through service. By washing their feet, He puts aside His position as Lord and Teach to become a servant. He then commands them to do likewise for one another. As the disciples would soon see, this act was one of Jesus' last lessons to them before making the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind, What's so powerful about this passage is the relevance it has to us. Jesus' command to do likewise wasn't solely applicable to those with Him at the time, but to all believers reading His Word. Service is an integral part of His command to love others just as He loved us. (i.e. John 13:34-35, Matthew 20:26-28, and Matthew 25:35-40) And yet it has become a forgot part of the Christian walk, reserved for missionaries and that one guy at church who's really on fire for the Lord. The truth is, service should be a regular part of every life devoted to Christ. (1 John 3:16-24)
Why then it is absent in the lives of so many believers? It's simple. Service requires much. It asks us to humble ourselves, putting the needs and desires of others above our own. It takes hard work and effort. Moreover, service demands we give our most precious commodity: time. Time that could be spent on personal enjoyment, interests, and hobbies. Satan wants us to believe that our days on this Earth are our own, and should be spent however we see fit. He wants us to not only accept the idea of loving ourselves above others, but encourage it. Sadly, instead of refuting these lies many believers have received them as truth. Serving only when it is convenient or requires little of us is now the norm.
If we are guilty of ignoring Jesus' command to serve, then how do we correct our course and walk in obedience? By embracing the conviction in our hearts rather than rejecting it. By answering the call rather than finding every excuse not to. I can't tell you what form this will take in your life, but I can guarantee that you have been called to serve those around you in some way. Each of us has been entrusted with unique gifts and talents that when we use them to serve others, glorify of God. (1 Peter 4:10) If you are unsure how and where to serve, I encourage you to pray diligently about it. Ask God to make opportunities for service clear to you. (James 1:5) If you are unsure what value you have to offer, I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 12. Consider the skills you've been blessed with, and how they can be used to help those in need.
I'll close by sharing how God has worked in my life. Recently, my husband and I both felt a conviction to serve. I'll be honest, I was not enthusiastic about it. For over a year, I tried to ignore it with excuses like: "My time is so limited already. I have none to spare." and "Even if I did have the time (which I don't), I wouldn't know where to go." Despite my best attempts to justify my disobedience, the Holy Spirit was unrelenting. No amount of kicking, screaming, and digging my heels in the spiritual dirt could loosen His grip on my heart. I had a harsh reality to face: If I truly love my Savior, the pain of disobeying what He asks of me should be far greater than the pain of giving my time. Meanwhile, my husband was praying and looking for places we could serve. We eventually got connected with a local ministry. While I was now willing to do what Jesus commanded, I still had doubts like "What if this thing isn't the one God is calling us to do?" and "What if I'm not useful?" However, with each service opportunity, it's abundantly clear that it is where God wants us to be and He has gifted and equipped me to do this work.
Thank you for reading! I hope revisiting this short devotion from the Summer 2023 Newsletter encouraged you today. I pray the Lord provides you with ample opportunities to serve in your community and empowers you with the skills and talents needed to bless others.