Wednesday, April
4 – Read John 13:1-38
The Gospel of John was the last of the
four gospels in the Bible to be written. It has a different tone than the other
three and includes some different stories. In John’s telling of the Last Supper
the emphasis is not on the meal, but one Jesus washing his disciples’ feet and
using this as an object lesson to emphasize once and for all the importance of
serving others. In verses 3-5 John says that Jesus has come from God, was going
to God, and knew that God had placed the fate of all things into his hands.
With that cosmic background noted, Jesus then takes off his robe, ties a towel
around his waist, pours water in a basin, and begins to wash his disciples’
feet. He has all power and all authority, but he uses it in service. One
commentator has written that apparently we have to have all power, in order to
lay it all off.
Reflection Questions: So often we think of succeeding in
life as a matter of what we own or what we control. In this passage Jesus shows
us that success is a matter of who we are inside, of the power God creates in
us to creatively serve others. What is your definition of success?
Prayer: Dear God, grow my soul. Help me
develop in inner spiritual power to resist the temptations of the world and,
instead, to serve you in loving others. In Jesus’ powerful name I pray. Amen.
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