The Christ Contrast

“12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?  13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”  -John 13-12-17

As you progress in life (both the physical life you live, and your spiritual life), you either polarize yourself to the Biblical truths that were manifested by Jesus Christ, or you draw back to the ways of this world (what is the world?  See 1 John 2:16); would you agree?  If you progress toward Biblical truths you find yourself becoming less and less like the world, caring less and less about the world, and ceasing to define yourself among the standards of the world.  This type of growth is not always quick and easy, it can often be filled with struggle and pain (though doesn’t have to be).  However, as difficult as this progression may or may not be, it’s necessary that you draw nigh to Jesus, if you wish to live a: wonderful, peaceful, content, happy, joyful, stress reduced, complete, wholesome, holy life; while here.  If you do not desire that, then feel free to do whatever you please.  The above text is a singular Biblical example that evidently contradicts a great majority of the teaching that you will find in this natural world.

Please take a minute to consider with me the above scripture.  Jesus Christ: the Son of God, with God at creation, walked the hallowed halls of heaven, infused with all wisdom and understanding.  Consider his Resume, his pedigree, all that he knew and could do.  Now take into account the disciples, their Resume, pedigree, and all that they knew.  It makes no “earthy” sense that Jesus Christ would stoop to wash His disciple’s feet.  When you wash someone’s feet it’s a gesture of humility, of servitude.  It’s not a place where you are going to find occasion to be prideful.  In the physical world, those that are great are those who exalt himself.  In the spiritual world, those that would be great are those who abase themselves.  This is the example that Jesus left us, and the lesson he taught with his life.  What a contrast to the prominent and persistent teachings and testimonies of the world today.  Jesus said that “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”  How many commercials do you see on TV saying the same?  How many billboards?  How many magazines, sports writers, news anchors…….college professors?  The clarion call of the world is happy are ye if ye do what’s best for you.  Happy are ye if you indulge yourself; eat, sleep, and rise up to play.  Please, take a step back and look around, do you not see a lot of people who are whole heartily embracing this: ME, ME, ME theology?  Of those people, how many are truly happy?  But then I look around, at a few, a very few, this peculiar group of individuals who follow after the teachings of a man called Jesus, who leave an example to serve and guess what,……they are HAPPY!  They are filled with joy, love, peace, and contentment.  These are not those that wish to be masters of their own lives, but those that have accepted that they are a servant to all, and to Jesus first of all.

Stop and imagine a household where everyone serves as Jesus served.  Just picture a church where everyone serves as Jesus served, a country where everyone serves as he served; and a world where everyone serves as Jesus served.  What if we followed his example?  What if we left off the selfish cry of the world and followed after the man Jesus Christ?  “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”