John 13, 1 - 17
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
I live in a state that borders the west coast of the United States and I have a daughter who lives in a state that borders the east coast. She comes to visit with her children once or twice a year but my wife and I have never been able to afford to fly back east to visit her family. So, we don't see each other as often as we would like.
It is always a very joyous moment when I drive to the airport and greet them as they make their way from the plane through the terminal. During her visit we spend many happy hours together. I especially enjoy playing with the grandchildren and absorbing all of those warm, loving smiles and hugs they so willingly supply.
She generally stays for three or four weeks and, if we can fit it into the schedule, we pile into the RV and drive to the Pacific ocean and camp for a week or so. And, as the time is slowly clicking away behind our backs, we forget about the mundane day-to-day routines that we normally follow and laugh and tease as if we were somewhere other than on Planet Earth.
But her time to visit always must come to an end. Three or four days before the time of her departure our attitudes and behavior begin to change slightly. We still laugh and tease and enjoy the company of each other but there is an inward sentiment of melancholy that slowly begins to grow stronger with each passing moment, bringing us all closer to the time when we have to bid each other good bye.
Our eyes become a bit more teary when the morning of the day of her departure arrives. There are some small, unwanted chores which must be performed on this morning. The toys and belongings of the grandkids are gathered up from every direction within the house. How did they manage to get our home into such a disarray? Grandma helps them as they pack their duffle bags with the precious belongings they will take home.
Finally, the moment comes when we all must load into the car and drive back to the airport. The atmosphere is not what it was the last time we drove this route. Oh, our hearts are filled with the same amount of love - even more than before. But a feeling of sadness has now replaced that indescribable feeling we had on the day she arrived from back east.
As we drive to the airport and as we wait in the terminal for the plane to load we seem to be choosing our words more carefully than we have for the past few weeks. In fact we don't speak much at all because of the lump we find lodged within our throats. When we do say something it is usually related to a thought or activity that will take place after her departure. She promises to call when she arrives home. We assure her that she can contact us if anything goes wrong. We hug a lot more on the grandkids than we did on the days when they were running wild through the living room.
Then, we all hug and exchange a few kisses and she and her children walk away. We know it will be a very long time before they will be back. We also recognize that in this life there is the possibility that we could never see her or her children again due to some accident or misfortune.
On the way home from the airport it is very quiet in the car. My wife and I quietly review the last few moments; the last few hours; the last few days. Our lives must now return to the old routine as we can only look forward to the next time we all get together again.
Because hindsight has such an advantage over foresight, we see in John, chapter 13, why Jesus took the time to wash the feet of his disciples. The disciples had no inkling of how they would soon be feeling, but Jesus did. We know that John is the disciple that loved Jesus. He wanted everyone to know that because he wrote it into his gospel. That is not to say that the other disciples didn't love Jesus as much. Peter's love for the Savior was demonstrated many times by his fanatical words and actions. He was passionate about his dedication to the Savior.
Jesus knew that when he was no longer with them they would be saddened and discouraged. He knew it would be like a ride home from the airport after we have dropped off a departing loved one. Therefore he probably chose his words carefully and made sure that those last moments together would be spent in such a way that, as the disciples thought back on it, they would never forget what took place. And he told them how to overcome the sadness that would follow: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye DO them.”
What were the things he was referring to? “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” Now there are a lot of Christians who take the washing of feet literally and I am not about to criticize their beliefs. But Jesus said, “. . . I have given you an example . . . .” The context of this short passage is that of becoming a servant to those around you. He was teaching them a truth that is often overlooked. He was leaving them with a principle opposite to the notion of pride. Because of who Jesus was, this world would expect the disciples to be washing His feet instead of him washing theirs.
The trouble with the world's viewpoint is that it never brings about happiness. From the world's point of view, the washing of feet should be performed in order to satisfy our own selfish pride. “I could never stoop to wash your feet because I am a very important person. - Just ask me!” And, because the disciples were just as human as you and me they all clearly understood the world's viewpoint. Peter proved it when he began to refuse Jesus' attempt to wash his feet but was so quickly rebuked.
It brings me real pleasure when I watch a small child who finds a dandy lion in the yard and pulls it from the ground, running to his or her mother with the gift of a flower. (Thank God for dandy lions.) Have you ever watched as the mother accepts the small gift? The mother knows the true value of the dandy lion but accepts it for its intrinsic value. She will often place it into a glass of water to show her appreciation for that gift. Although the mother is pleased for the gift, who is really the most inwardly satisfied of the two? The child, of course.
Inside the heart of that little child is a feeling of completeness that cannot be compared to the feelings we have whenever someone gives us something. The act of giving brings us much closer to God than the act of receiving. The act of Forgiving brings us even closer, but that is another subject.
When Jesus was about to leave the disciples behind and depart from their presence he could have done many other things than become a servant. He could have given each of them a little gift. Or, being God, he could have given each of them a large gift. He could have preached to them and given them a last lesson on the best methods of how to convert a lost soul. He could have gone down the list and told them how much he appreciated each of them and their contributions to the ministry.
But he knew none of these actions or words would ever bring lasting happiness. And his love for them, and us, is so great that he longs for our happiness. So, in those last moments he demonstrated what he knew would be the one thing that brings about the most happiness in the life of any Christian: It wasn't reading the Bible. It wasn't praying. It wasn't worshiping. It wasn't singing praises. It wasn't trying to live a clean life. It wasn't going to church every Sunday. It was a lot more simple than that. It was to become a servant to others.
All of those other things are good things to do, and, they bring about a certain degree of happiness. But there is one thing that beats all of the others: Becoming a servant to others!
So, the next time my daughter leaves to fly back east do you know what I need to do in order to overcome the sadness and depression associated with her departure? If you said, “Find a way to become a servant to someone,” you are exactly right. Of course, I don't have to wait until her next visit and departure to find true happiness do I? I can become the happiest guy in the world today by following Jesus' Example. And so can you.
You may be saying, “Wow, that's a good thought!” and, it is. But if you leave it there (as a thought) it will do you no good. We must act upon the teachings of Jesus. We must DO something with the teaching. It isn't until we begin doing that we begin seeing and feeling the results.
That's why he said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye DO them.”