Later that day a co-worker came to visit. With one look at the disheveled appearance of her friend, she immediately filled a basin with warm water and proceeded to give her friend a complete bed bath.  When she was finished she gave her a lotion massage and brushed her hair.

The woman who received this TLC said to her friend, "I have been touched by the hands of God."

Jesus said, "I have set an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

Unfortunately all opportunities to serve don’t always have such outcomes.

A mother asks her child to please help her sister clean up the family room and the response she gets is, "Why should I have to help, I didn’t make the mess."

A teenager asks a friend, "Do you want to help shovel Mrs. Marshall’s side walk."

The friend responds, "How much is she paying us."

"She’s not," comes the answer, "We are doing it for free."

The friends says, "No thanks, I will see you later."

A man walks into the church office looking for a hand out.  He is turned away and told to go to the church across the street.

After Jesus had washed their feet, had put on His robe, and had returned to the table, He said to them,

"Do you know what I have done to you?  You call me teacher and Lord - and you are right, for that is what I am.  So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have set an example, that you also should do as I have done to you."

Jesus was the model servant.  Jesus showed this attitude to his disciples.  Washing guest's feet when they arrived was a job for a household servant.  Jesus wrapped a towel around him, as the lowliest slave would do, and washed his disciples feet.  In Jesus, God in the flesh, is willing to serve. You and I his followers must also be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God.

Mrs. Bissell was in her late eighties. She lived alone in a two story home which was in desperate need of some loving care. Everywhere you looked inside the house you found clutter. Years of newspapers and magazines piled through out the entire downstairs.  Furniture which hadn’t been dusted for a very long time.  She would make apologies and excuses for the way the house looked.  Saying, "I just don’t seem to have the stamina like I used to.  She was a proud woman, whose pride got in the way, always refusing offers of help.

One day she needed to be hospitalized.  Here was the window of opportunity her church members were looking for.  Members of all ages descended on her home.  Washing windows, floors, sinks, toilets, tubs.  The newspapers and magazines were separated and bundled.  In doing so pieces of mail were discovered, which included several social security checks and dividend checks.  Some envelopes with cash were also found.

Within forty-eight hours the house was completely cleaned, new window treatments, were hung, some minor repairs were made and a handful of people greeted Mrs. Bissell as she returned from the hospital.

"I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you."

The gospel lesson story is not about washing feet. It is about discipleship and servanthood. The kind of servanthood that doesn’t say, "That’s beneath me."  The kind of servanthood that doesn’t pick and choose who they will serve.  The kind of servanthood that doesn’t ask, "What’s in it for me?"  The kind of servanthood that sees the face of Christ in all who they serve, be it family members, friends, neighbors or strangers.

"If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."

Are you willing to follow Christ’s example?

Why call Him Lord, and not do the things which He says.

Amen