A Lesson From the Upper Room

“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ”

John 13:12

 

 

What an unusual choice of the last two words Jesus used.

He had just finished washing their feet and He asked His disciples if they understood what He had done ‘for’ them, not ‘to’ them.

The actual act of washing their feet was not the lesson.

It was who was washing their feet.

Jesus was Messiah, they were his disciples.

What He had done for them was to be an example of service.

It was customary that the washing of one’s feet fell to the servant in the house.

Certainly we could argue that Jesus was the greatest in that room that night.

The disciples understood that.

Yet, it was Jesus who took off His robe, grabbed a towel and washed His disciples’ feet.

He humbled Himself.

The Greater served the lesser.

Perhaps God is promoting you or is about to bring promotion into your life.

Here is a lesson from the Upper Room to all of us.

He will never promote you beyond serving others.

If you minister, in His Name, to Kings, Presidents and world leaders that still never changes.

He has called each one of us to serve Him.

We serve Him, in part, by serving others.

May our head never get so big that it forgets this lesson from the Upper Room.

May our feet never carry us to a place of privilege where we feel we are to be served rather than to serve others.

May our hands never be engaged in work that benefits us alone and forgets the service of others.

May we understand the lessons of the Upper Room.