Journey into Faith

A Picture of Humility

"Letting others especially God to help us is a sign of humility, rather than being weak."

-SavedbyLove777

This is my devotion today Aug.31, 2017 at around 3:45 pm. I was taken to John 13:1-20 and this verse is so very familiar to us where Jesus washed the feet of His beloved disciples. What amazes me in this passage is Jesus' perfect example of humility and the significance of washing His disciples feet.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and God gave Jesus all authority as seen in v.13, yet how could the Son of the great God come to a point to personally wash not just any body part of the body but to the dirtiest and most used part of the body--the feet. Can you imagine your president who is above all else has the highest authority, yet he is at your house, kneeling in front of you to wash your feet? What would your reaction be?

I know right? The idea itself is absurd! 

But Jesus washed the feet of His beloved disciples regardless that He is the Son of the One who sent Him. In fact when Jesus answered Simon Peter that He will indeed wash his feet, Peter instantly declined Jesus for how could He let the Son of God wash his feet for him?! It's too much to handle!

Yet, what Jesus answered Peter struck me the most--that his feet needs to be washed by Jesus or else Peter will not have a part of Jesus. And so Peter asked Jesus to wash his head and hands as well but Jesus said that the one who has already bathe needs not to be washed except for his feet, everything else is already clean.

Why? And what does Jesus mean by that?

I tell you, this is the part that I had trouble understanding like what did Jesus meant that Peter has already bathe, and that everything except his feet is already clean? For you who had trouble too, I suggest during your devotions you refer to other bible translations or if you have a KJV expository bible, use it, it will be a very great help for you to carefully understand the gospel of Christ.

From what I understand, Jesus implies here that He who is already been saved (has salvation in Christ) no longer needs to be washed, meaning no longer needs to saved over and over again but only needs his feet to be cleansed. Feet here signifies our daily spiritual walk with God. As what Jesus implies in v.8, if we do not let Jesus clean our daily walk with Him, we will never have a part of Jesus in our lives. To follow Christ, we need His cleansing spiritually, everyday.

Jesus also said that they are already clean, but not all of them which means that all of them are already saved except one, and that is Judas Son of Simon Iscariot who later on will betray Jesus.

After Jesus Christ washed their feet he asked his disciples if they know what Jesus had done to them, and Jesus answered them that He cleansed them (not just physically but spiritually) so that they too may follow his example! 

I found two major points of what Jesus wants us to follow:

1. A believer must be willing to surrender and be cleansed by Jesus Christ first.

2. Follow the example of Christ of serving others.

He showed the disciples the spirit of humility that there is no servant greater than his master, nor messenger greater than the one who sent him, likewise, as we regard Jesus Christ as Lord and Teacher, we must humble ourselves before Him as He has humbled Himself to the One who has sent Him, and that is God the Father.

What is knowledge about these things yet we do not apply? Faith without works is dead. Without faith, you can do nothing. But without works, your faith is a fake. Faith and works should be a team, the other could not live without the other.

But let me make this clear to you, Faith produces work (read the book of James), not the other way around. Our works in the Lord should be or rather, are the result of our faith in God.

Humility is not just being a servant or being of service for others, but it is also when we acknowledge and submit to Jesus Christ's control over us as our Lord and Teacher.

God bless you, you who are reading this!