[reposted from 8.31.10]
I LOVE JESUS! I love his ways--I am blown away by how he chose to get on his knees, wrapped the towel around his waist, and willingly took the lowest position in the passover room, on the floor. He did this only hours before he faced His death and triumph on the cross!
He washed dirty feet, a ceremonially filthy task for a Jew, a task seemingly not suited to a king of the universe, in no way befitting the Son of God!
But as his father's child, Jesus obeyed him in the smallest acts and the least calling. He thought nothing of position, power, performance.
Jesus tried to tell us this--
Matthew 18
The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Then moving on to vs 10 Jesus said this,
10"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18&version=NIV
Even nominal Christians have likely heard this bible lesson in their Sunday School classrooms growing up-- I remember the sense of triumph I felt as a little girl, hearing how Jesus prefered the children over the domineering adults who were present in that incident!
Jesus really did love the lesser ones!
But, what do we admire in our culture? Beauty, wealth, power, sensual prowess, intellect, talent, success. We have been bombarded with these culturally iconic images for over 70 years.
Certainly since the Victorian era, Christian leaders have rallied and raged against the media, films and entertainment industries, demanding that 'true' believers in Christ would turn away from these forms of media and become separate.
Sound familiar? Consider the Hebrew leaders of Jesus' day--their insensed complaints about Jesus hanging out with the 'sin' crowd...the unclean woman weeping and annointing Jesus' feet or the teacher dining with tax-man Matthew and his friends!
Are we to come out of fellowship with these lost ones in the world, or are we to come into fellowship with Jesus through donning the mantle of his annointing?
I like to refer to this as the 'towel and basin' posture.
"Sure, I'll be glad to love these that are disenfranchised Father!"
"Yes, Lord, send me!"
"Amen, Lord, I'll take care of this modern day victim by the side of the road."
Jesus said that His sheep know His voice-- do you hear the call of the Humble King?
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