The Response to Love is Surrender

Peter acted according to his normal self-centeredness. Peter had respect for Jesus and did not think a leader like Him should stoop to washing his feet. Traditionally, the owner of the house would wash the feet of a guest. Peter was confused that Jesus would perform such a lowly act. Jesus had a lowly mindset because His nature is humility. This is the way that He desires for you to love your neighbor. Because this is His nature, He did not think the way Peter thought. Jesus cannot imagine His followers not being servants! Peter could not see what Jesus was about to do, but his response should have been, “Yes, Lord, whatever You say or do is what I want.”

Having a lowly mindset does not mean beating yourself up. Rather, it means laying yourself down to serve others out of love. Many take the position that being lowly is berating self. This is not true. The goal of humility is not thinking about self but thinking on Christ. As a disciple, your mind needs to adjust to desire to know Jesus in a real and personal way. When you think on Christ, you will serve others from a heart of love. Submission is not optional if you are a disciple of Christ. Submission does not require you to understand everything God knows. Instead, it requires your love, respect, and understanding that God knows what is best for you.

Peter insisted that Jesus should not wash his feet. He said this because of what Jesus had just stated, “What I am doing you do not understand now but you will know after this.” When you are in the midst of your self-centeredness, you will not understand the Will of God. In fact, in that moment you will not even be interested in God’s Will. The Wisdom of God only comes as you submit and obey. There was a measure of love from Peter toward Jesus. While this love was not yet complete, there was enough of a personal relationship that when Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in Me,” Peter realized that he desired a deeper relationship. So, Peter responded, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

There are many different interpretations for this phrase, but when you take it in context of Peter’s relationship with Jesus, it is clear that Peter wanted all Jesus could offer him. Some interpret this as once you are saved, you only need a partial cleansing of the sins you have just committed. For example, if a person had just bathed, a simple walk from the bath to the supper table would bring dust to the feet. Only the feet would be dirty. But Jesus desired a total surrender from Peter. Jesus wanted every part of Peter’s mind, heart, soul, and body. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians. 5:23).

Spiritual pride is one of, if not the greatest, roadblock to servanthood. Too many want others to recognize them for what they do. This pride makes them look like the opposite of Jesus. Jesus demonstrated servanthood when He washed the disciple’s feet. This was not a doctrine or traditional practice to put in place, but it was an example of living the Christian life. If Jesus was willing to serve in this way, then His disciples should also. He said, “A servant is not greater than his master.” Yet, many want the recognition of what a person of God he or she is without modeling servanthood. It does not work that way. Anyone who is walking in the Spirit of Christ will see right through the counterfeit servant act.

In verse twenty, Jesus said, “He who receives whomever I send receives Me.” How do you receive those God has sent to your life? Do you see them as a gift from God? Not everyone in your life will treat you well, but you should treat everyone properly. Jesus received Judas even though Judas would betray Him. God sent Peter to do His work, but Peter denied Jesus. Jesus treated everyone properly.

“Whomever I send” is describing those who Jesus sends for service to you and others around you. If you dishonor someone Jesus sends, you also dishonor Him. That is the reason you should love God first, so that you can love all those around you. Imagine how it would help the church today if you treated the pastor as one whom Jesus sent or your best friend, husband, wife, children, parents, teachers, and extended family. While they may not all be serving Christ, you can serve them.

In this passage several things are clear:

1. Desiring to be greater than others will cause problems in your relationships, including your relationship with Jesus.
2. Seeking greatness is the human tendency.
3. Serving God and modeling your Master is the right way to live.
4. Being prideful does not mean that you rich. It means that you have pride for what you do have. You can wash the feet of others with a heart full of pride in order to be seen as a servant. This is not a servant heart. It is a prideful heart doing servant activity.

Jesus is interested in your heart, not your activity. Until you learn how to surrender your heart and walk in the ways of God, you will struggle in your Christian life to do the right things. Your mind will always be focused on activity for God, rather than on love for God. When you surrender your heart to God’s Way, you will desire to engage in spiritual activity. Jesus was faithful until the end. Knowing that He was going to the cross, He took the time to teach how to be a servant. Peter had a difficult time receiving this gift at first, just like many others have a hard time receiving blessings from the Lord. But when you dwell in the land flowing with milk and honey, you will receive the Lord’s blessings with open arms.

 

From John: True Belief Brings Faithfulness (Book 2) by Alison Veazey and Kerry Skinner.