Your Daily Devotional for August 10, 2006

 

August 10, 2006

 

Humility: It’s A Choice

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”

 

John 13:3-5

 

As we come to the Scriptures today, notice verse 3, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;” Jesus knew that He was God and that God the Father had given Him the power to do all things. He realized God had sent Him to earth and He would return to Heaven to reign with His Father for all eternity one day, yet while He was on earth, He was faced with a choice.

 

He was seated at supper with His disciples and decided to get up and wash their feet. Because the roads were mostly dirt and the common shoe of the day was sandals, the custom was for a servant to wash the guest’s feet before dinner.

 

Since no one had washed their feet, Jesus decided to get up and do it Himself. He wished to show the disciples that no one is too prestigious to serve another person. Christ did not have to do this, but He made a choice anyway.

 

Jesus chose to serve His disciples by washing their feet. He humbled himself to meet the needs of a spiritually sick and dying human race. Jesus displayed that greatness is not measured by self-will but by self-abandonment. The word up in the dictionary always follows the word down.

 

Are you willing to be involved in service? I heard of a pastor who challenged the men of his church to be more involved. He said, “I’m afraid some of you are taking the words to the song Take My Life and Let It Be, and changing them to Take My Wife and Let Me Be.”

 

How are you serving the Lord today? How are you choosing to humble yourself in the sight of God and serve Him? Ministry that costs us nothing accomplishes nothing. Ask yourself not only if you are serving but why you are serving. Are you doing it so someone will “get off your back”? Are you doing it because you feel you have to?

 

God doesn’t want you to serve Him out of obligation but out of willingness. Service to God out of a bitter heart means nothing to Him. He would rather you just not serve! But not serving also means missing out on some of God’s best blessings. Take time to reflect upon your heart’s motive today. Determine to humble yourself as Christ did and serve others through a willing heart. If Christ took time to humble Himself and willingly wash the disciples’ feet, how much more do we need to choose to humble ourselves and serve others.

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