Jesus Washes Their Feet

“As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.” — John 13:34

It was the evening before the Passover. Jesus and His twelve disciples gathered in an upstairs room in Jerusalem for a special meal together. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go back to the Father. And He loved His disciples to the very end.

In those days people walked everywhere in sandals, on dusty, dirty roads. So when guests came for a meal, a servant would wash their feet. It was the lowest, dirtiest job in the house.

But there was no servant in the room that night. And none of the disciples offered to do it.

So Jesus got up from the table. He took off His outer robe and wrapped a towel around His waist. He poured water into a bowl. And He began to wash His disciples’ feet, and dry them with the towel.

Jesus, the King of kings, the Son of God, knelt down on the floor like a servant and washed their dirty feet.

When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”

“You don’t understand now what I am doing,” said Jesus, “but later you will understand.”

“No!” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet!”

“Unless I wash you,” said Jesus, “you can’t belong to Me.”

“Then, Lord,” said Peter, “don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head too!”

When Jesus had finished washing their feet, He put His robe back on and sat down again.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, because that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, so that you should do as I have done for you.”

Later that evening, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. This is how everyone will know that you are My disciples: if you love one another.”

Jesus wasn’t too great to do the lowliest job. He served His friends. And He showed us that real greatness isn’t about being served. It’s about serving other people, out of love.

Read it in your Bible: John 13:1–17, 34–35

Dear Jesus, thank you that you came to serve, not to be served. Help me to love other people the way you love me, and to serve them, even when it’s a job nobody wants to do. Amen.