John 13:13-15 - You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
As Christians we love the grace, mercy, forgiveness, blessing, and healing we have in and through Jesus. Rightfully so. However, there are many people and church groups/buildings who are so hyper focused on these things it becomes nothing more than a self-centered drive to get more and more of it, in the name of Jesus of course. Basically, vacuum cleaners intent only on sucking up and storing them for self.
One thing that jumps out to me is Jesus very clearly calls out here He is Teacher and Lord. Many Christians today love the name of Jesus, love the power the name carries, the benefits associated with it, but they do not wish to accept He is Teacher and Lord.
Then to make things even tougher, He not only tells us to wash one another's feet, he tells us we owe a debt to wash other's feet. That little "ought" word in verse 14 in the Greek means to owe a debt, under obligation, be bound by duty. So, this isn't a suggestion, we're bound to do as Jesus did and humble ourselves to the place of servants to one another. Even to wash one another's feet.
This same word "ought" can be found in 1 John 2:6, where again we find we owe a debt or are duty bound to do something.
1 John 2:6 - whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
Christian, if you choose to call yourself this, if you proclaim the name of Jesus, you have accepted the debt and are now duty bound to walk as Jesus walked, to act as Jesus acted, to live and love as Jesus did. Yes, to even wash the feet of your brothers and sisters. That's a tall order and one you cannot fulfill apart from truly abiding in Him and His Word.
Beloved, don't be a holy hoover vacuum intent of sucking up as much blessing, grace, and mercy as you can get for just you. Instead, be a water pump that sucks up living water then dispenses it out to all around you.
That's it for today. Don't take my word on it, be the Berean, get into your Bible and see for yourself.
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