the first week was crazy. we all began our jobs. i was placed in the jungle, which is a fancy way of saying that i washed dishes in the back of the kitchen. we washed every pan, plate, bowl, and cup the campers ate from, and cleaned every mixing bowl, spatula, and measuring bowl the cooks and bakers needed. we worked for about ten hours every day that week, and spent lots of our free time putting on events for the campers, and only got about five hours of sleep a night. we were never seen by the campers, and, like i said, were never payed. it was beautiful.
have you ever thought about how Jesus washed his disciples feet?
in ancient times, people traveled on their feet, walked on dirt roads, covered in dung and filth, and, if they wore anything to keep their feet somewhat clean, only wore sandals. can you get a picture of how gross their feet were?
washing feet was the job of a slave. only slaves were lowly enough, considered worthless enough, to bend down and willingly clean another man's dirt and dung covered feet with their bare hands and, maybe, a small rag. it was disgusting, degrading, and pitiful work.
here we see the God of the universe, the Being who made the stars in the sky, who spoke everything into existence, who made atoms, cells, mountains and lightning, lions, the sea, and the galaxies, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the being who was regality and kingship before men ever attempted to form words to describe it, the Great Conqueror... bending down and doing the work of the lowest, most pitiful humans on earth.
and doing it gladly
how? how could the unfathomable God of all things humble Himself to such a pathetic level?
He loves unconditionally
"It was just before the passover feast. Jesus knew the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. having loved His own who were in the world, He wanted to show them the extent of His love...[]... so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. He then poured water in a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around His waist." -john 13:1 and 4
and He was setting an example
"i have set an example for you that you should do as i have done for you. i tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." - john 13:15-17
the God of the universe called us to serve the same, selfless, humble, back-breaking way He did, and to do it gladly, all for the Kingdom of Heaven.
that first week, Christ's words became very literal for me. we worked in a 90 degree environment, we had no experience and had no idea what we were doing, and on our busiest night, the power went out and for a while, we had to wash everything without lights, fans, or power washers. and i learned what it's like to wash something most people consider below them or disgusting.
i can think of few things i've loved more than washing those plates. every plate i saw, God reminded me that right there, He was loving on a camper who had probably never met Him before. every spec of food we wiped off, He spoke of how He was moving through the camp, unseen with our physical eyes, the same way we were never seen. but so evident, like our cleaned silverware proved, and so incredible, like the smiles we wore in that back room. i was reminded of how far He went to serve me, and how, by providing these campers with clean kitchenware, they were being loved, even when they didn't consciously know it. in those moments, sweating, dressed in a yellow apron, hands covered in two strange latex gloves, wearing goofy rain boots, i knew a part of Christ. it was beauty like i have seen few times before.
so, as Christians, we are called to wash the feet of others. sometimes, it looks like washing their dishes. sometimes, it looks like picking them up when no one else will. sometimes, it's as simple as saying hello. we are called to become less, so that He can become more. the release from the weight of self-gratification and the experience of understanding our Father just that much more is worth anything any selfishness can give us.
just want to encourage you guys wherever you are to love on someone till it costs you. to quote one of my favorite bands:
"if it doesn't break your heart, it isn't love. if it doesn't break your heart, it's not enough."
-switchfoot
praying that you experience His love in a crazy and radical way! God bless!
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