Day 14: Servant of All

Christ Washing Peter’s Feet, Ford Madox Brown, 1876. Oil on canvas, 1168 x 1333 mm , Tate Modern, London, England. Public Domain.

“Jesus, the Servant of All” from the album Tell Me the Story. Composed and performed by Jonathan and Emily Martin.

“My Help” Performed by Steffany Gretzinger and the Jesus Image Choir, composed by Steffany Gretzinger, Michael and Hannah Graham, and Daniel Martin.

Poetry:

“Washing Feet”
by Robert Fawcett

Being thorough, I remove a holey sock
to view a diabetic man’s filthy feet.
I use the time to complete our talk
of what drove him to live on the street
as I wonder how any of this can help.

While he tells me more of his medical past,
I run warm water into a stainless bowl.
I immerse both his feet and begin to ask
myself what good it does for this poor soul
to allow himself to undergo this ablution.

Silently I sluice the water between his toes
and soap the crusty callous at his heel.
I marvel at his arch and notice how closely
it fits my palm. I know he can feel
this proximity too. He shuts his eyes.

Months of useless layers peel away,
revealing layers useless weeks ago.
Removing the tough brown hide of yesterday
yields clean pink skin, but we both know
this ritual will be useless days from now.

Still, this moment may withstand time’s test,
teaching us each lessons unknown before.
I learn the medicine of selflessness.
He learns what medicine is really for–
the hope that basin, soap and touch can bear.

Servant of All

Like a shroud draping the room, Brown’s artwork lays upon every spectator the horror of Jesus’ humiliation. The disciples lean in, aghast, incredulity etched on their faces.

Stooped over the water basin at Peter’s feet, “sluic[ing] the water between his toes,“ Jesus’ strength glows in the light illuminating the ripples of his arms, sinews in his neck, and love’s determination in his countenance. Failing to comprehend this abasement, the disciples could not have imagined the more horrific one Jesus would soon endure.

In a world that prizes power, Jesus taught servanthood. He said that’s why He came–to serve, even to the point of laying down His life. Since He, our Teacher and Lord, demonstrated humility, this is what we ought to do. He said that we love and worship Him best by walking in the way He modeled for us.

“From swaddling clothes to the washing of feet, see the Son of God bending low for you and me,” sing Jonathan and Emily Martin. “From infant birth to His death on a tree, see the Son of Man in His great humility. Jesus, servant of all.”

“For this reason,” the chorus echoes, “God has given him the Name that’s above every name.” The Martins sing that the great exaltation Jesus received from the Father was because of “His great humility.”

We often don’t get ourwhy questions answered. But not so here! We are given two reasons that we would be wise to take note of:

1. Jesus’ reason for coming was to serve others, even to the point of death.
2. God’s reason for exalting Jesus was because He humbled himself as a servant, even to death on a cross.

Learning “the medicine of selflessness” is messy business, as Fawcett graphicly describes in his poem. It can not only feel uncomfortable and embarrassing but wholly useless in the face of humanity’s staggering and unrelenting needs. Jesus knew His disciples would have dirty feet once again, even before the night was done. Yet by His example, He was showing them what He wanted of them. “Do as I have done…”

Today if our service to our fellow human beings feels messy, feeble or useless, may we rest in the hope that “still, this moment may withstand time’s test, teaching us each lessons unknown before.” May those we serve feel the touch of heaven’s hope. And may our Teacher and Lord begin seeing His own beautiful reflection in our acts of humble love.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, we look to you for help in humbly serving one another as you taught and selflessly demonstrated. With whatever time remains, may we gladly claim any opportunity to enrich others. For soon enough, on the other side, there will be glory and honor for those who are in Christ. Until that day, we trust in your care for us that keeps our foot from slipping and preserves us from all harm.
Amen.

Kay Vinci, M.Div.
Writer and editor

For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, please visit our website via the link in our bio.