The Humble Mind - Conclusion

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him. John 13:1‭-‬5 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.13.1-5.NIVUK When I was a teenager I was a fan of the rock band Bon Jovi - before they started producing endless karaoke-worthy power ballads. My respect for their lead singer Jon Bon Jovi grew immensely when I realised what he is doing now. You see, here is a guy who has made millions of dollars from record sales and could probably retire to some Caribbean island on the royalties alone. Yet he has opened a chain of soup kitchens for the homeless and actually works in them himself. Here is a guy who came from the tough streets of New Jersey, has never forgotten where he came from and now serves the needy with a smile on his face. I don't know where he stands before God, but there is a man who could teach a great many Christians a lesson. While he does something practical to those who are 'Living on a Prayer', there are televangelists who sell their prayers like a commodity so they can get rich. Men like these really do 'Give Love A Bad Name'. Contrast that with the American woman who arrived off a long haul flight into Manila Airport. Long haul planes tend to be large, and when several arrive at more or less the same time the immigration queue tends to get quite long. This had happened and the woman was not happy. "That's what's wrong in this country." she mouthed off. "Everything takes far too long. You have to queue for everything." The complaints continued, loud and unabated, until she reached the front of the queue. The immigration officer took a long, hard look at her. "Ma'am, if you dislike this country so much, how about I do you a favour and don't let you in?" he said, before turning her round and sending her home on the next available flight. Coronavirus has cruelly exposed a deep and unsettling truth. We live in one of the most entitled cultures in God's earth. While millions struggle to put food on the table, people in the western world have taken to the streets to protest about not being able to get a haircut, or shop in a mall, or carry out activities which put them and their families in danger. Yet there are others who have bucked this trend. There are those who have served the needy, who have kept in contact with the isolated, who have reached out to those who need encouragement. Thoroughly commendable though these actions are, Jesus did something so completely counter-cultural that it left His disciples quite stunned. It's not at all surprising that only Peter had anything to say. Jesus didn't just lay aside His outer garment, He also laid aside every shred of dignity, every ounce of entitlement, every scrap of pride, and washed the stinky grime from His disciples' feet. This incredible act of service comes from a mind that knew who He was. He was utterly secure in His position. He didn't need to do anything to strengthen it. He also knew where He came from. This made Him unafraid to stoop down and serve. He knew where He was going. He knew He would arrive and didn't need to 'fake it till you make it' or put on airs and graces to get there. They say the strongest shape in architecture is a triangle. The strongest shape in Christian service is also a triangle. It is this security in who we are, where we came from and where we are going. You might think, "But I'm not secure in these things at all, so I'm exempted from serving others." That would be completely wrong. Neither were the disciples, yet Jesus said this to them: Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:14‭-‬15 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/jhn.13.14-15.NIVUK This is something we all have to do. We all have serve each other with a humble mind. If we feel that we can't because we have issues in these areas, then we need to come to God, repent and fix these issues. The onus is on us to put ourselves in the right place to truly serve others. And it's worth noting that the disciples did nothing to deserve this. Judas was in the process of betraying Jesus. Within hours, the disciples would all flee from Jesus' side to save their own skin, Peter would deny Jesus and Judas would be dead, slain by his own bitter regret. Yet Jesus still washed their feet! This is a difficult, challenging message. But it's worth noting that Jesus stooped way lower than a foot-washing slave. He went all the way to the cross for us. When we realise the depths to which He sunk to save us, perhaps a little indignity is not too bad.