Just imagine for a moment it’s your last day on Planet Earth. You know that tomorrow, in just 24 hours, you are going to die. How would you spend your last evening?
Maybe you have a favourite place near here where you love to go – up in the Sierra Espuñas or down by the sea. Maybe you’d enjoy being in one of these places for the last time as you watch the sun go down, or perhaps you have friends and family you really love being with. You could have a few drinks or a meal together and enjoy being in their company. It might be that you’d be anxious about leaving everything in order and you’d spend the time making sure all your necessary paperwork was together so it would be easy for those you leave behind.
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus chose to spend His last few hours being with those He loved and was closest to. He knew that the next day those friends would abandon Him and even deny knowing Him. He knew that one of those who was eating with them, with whom He’d shared His deepest thoughts and deepest moments with, was going to betray Him.
During the meal, Jesus did something extraordinary. He washed the disciples’ feet. The last thing we would choose to do on our last evening would be to wash smelly, dirty feet, but that is exactly what Jesus did.
Foot washing in those days would be done by the very lowest of slaves – it was the worst job. That is because some people wore open sandals and the roads were dusty and muddy and full of rubbish. There was no sanitation and animals freely roamed about leaving faeces all over the roads. You can imagine how filthy and foul smelling people’s feet were.
Jesus became like the lowest of slaves and washed His friends’ feet – even the feet of the one who would betray Him – to demonstrate how we should love and serve one another.
He was the ‘Servant King’ – one who knew all the glories and all the riches of Heaven, yet He was prepared to humble himself, to kneel down and serve His friends in such an amazing and humble way.
Humility is not a virtue that’s popular these days. It’s seen as a weakness rather than a strength. People are always demanding their rights, trying to prove they’re the best, fighting for respect and recognition, often confused and lost.
Jesus washing the disciple’s feet is a real challenge to us all – to live as He did, to speak His words, to do His works and to serve one another in humility and love.
We at Wellspring Church are learning much of the life of Jesus and bit by bit we believe God is changing us to walk in his ways.
We would love you to join us in this adventure. We meet every Sunday at 11am at Calle Madrid, Casasol, Puerto de Mazarrón. We are in the first block of apartments just up the road from El Alcolar. There’s a map on our website, or if you need more information give us call on 607 382 033
