Read John 13:3-5.
The Passover supper had ended. It’s at this part in the story that Jesus gets up and takes a towel and a basin of water and washes the disciples’ feet. All 12 of them – including Judas.
Skip ahead and read John 13:26, 30. It was after the foot washing that Jesus reveals that He knows Judas will betray Him, and then Judas makes his abrupt exit.
I don’t think it is any accident that the scene that the Bible sets here of the Last Supper begins with the mention that Judas’ betrayal plot was already in motion (John 13:2).
And then the verses flow into the beautiful, metaphorical picture of Jesus, one by one, moving to each disciples’ feet and tenderly washing them.
Here’s the part where I would get to Judas and, if I even washed his at all, I’d want to pinch each of his grubby little toes off!
But not Jesus. He loved like no other. No bitterness. No wrath. Just love.
Listen to the first words that Jesus spoke after being crucified. Read Luke 23:34.
Imagine. Just after they had thrust nails into His hands and feet and hoisted Him up on that hill, He prayed, “Father, forgive them…”
1 John 3:16 says, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Read John 3:16.
(I don’t think it’s any coincidence that 1 John 3:16 and John 3:16 happened to fall at the same chapter and verse number when the verses were getting numbered long ago. God can work things out like that!)
Put the messages of those two verses together and you have:
For God so loved the world (as demonstrated on the cross), we ought to love others.
Read 1 John 3:18-23.
Let’s love like Jesus, even when it’s uncomfortable.
For His glory alone,
Kathy
