The Servant King - Wednesday 30 May 07

Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"

‘I’m Ok thank you’
That is the accepted reply to the question ‘How are you?’
I have used it, so have all of us.
What makes us so reluctant to be the recipient of help? Is it pride, we don’t want to appear less than perfect? Or maybe we don’t trust the person who wants to help us, can we know they won’t just tell everyone else about it, with some exaggeration?
For Simon Peter it was his idea of precedence. Jesus had the authority; He was the leader, the Rabbi. People in positions of authority didn’t go around serving others. Tasks like foot washing were assigned to the lowest servant. None of the disciples had felt that they occupied that lowest position but Jesus took it on himself and forever changed the way the world ordered itself.
The man who was God, who participated in the creation of the universe, washes the feet of a fisherman.
You can understand Peter’s reluctance really.
But that means that we have no excuse, we cannot consider ourselves too good to serve one another.
Peter is learning very fast the nature of the man that he is following.
For each of us it is still necessary to allow the Lord of all to wash the grime of the day from our feet, and He asks us to continue that work among ourselves. So every time we listen to each other, pray for one another and help one another we continue His work.
Who can you help today?

Lord, help us to see you as you are, and to be more like you. Amen

Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. John 13:12-17