The “Title” vs. The “Towel” . . .
We don’t need to scratch our heads or look very far today to see that “America is the land of me and the home of the fave”, according to Rob Jenkins, author and freelance writer. Agreed!!! However, it’s not just America, it’s universal and, oh yes, there’s the scripture II Timothy 3:1-5 echoing the same, said . . .
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
These prevailing attitudes with oozing egos don’t even lurk in the shadows – they’re in our face. Clothing, gifts, and accessories are custom designed that compliment this phrase, “It’s All About Me”. Awe-inspiring narcissism! Check it out on Amazon or your local boutique – with the same name, by the way! Some shrug it off by saying, “Oh, they’re just being cute and having fun – it’s just trendy, no harm being done.” Really! Pry my jaw from off the floorboard! Look around us — many things are spinning out of control. What’s inside your heart comes out your mouth — or, your body language.
In living color, Jesus graciously and humbly portrayed what love and being a servant looked like to His disciples at the Last Supper, the night before He was crucified. Can you imagine the conversation among those men? They still hadn’t grasped what was going to take place the following day; their idea of the Kingdom of God was here and now and they, along with one of their mothers, wanted to know who should sit at His right hand and His left hand – who would be the greatest when He took His throne? I can almost hear Peter saying, “Hey, you guys never walked on water.” Hmmm! Sounds like they were into themselves, don’t you think? Perchance, they wanted a “title?”
I think an object lesson was about to take place . . . Jesus never asked anyone to do something He wouldn’t do. He quietly stood up, took the “towel” from his waist, knelt down and began to wash their feet – beginning with impetuous Peter. (Mark 10; Matthew 20; John 13.) This act, according to the custom of the day, was left to the lowliest servant to perform washing the dirty, filthy feet of strangers or travelers before entering a house.
This is what love looks like ! This is what a servant looks like!
This is what a leader looks like! Simple, but profound!
