Today in church, as we discussed the Last Supper, we talked about Christ washing the feet of his disciples. Now I know most of us are familiar with this story, but today I was struck by the fact that at the very moment, when he is kneeling and performing a humble service for each man, Christ already knows the heart of each of them and knows he will be betrayed and by whom…and yet still he washes the betrayer’s feet. There was, even in that moment, no condemnation, no hate, no calling Judas out or even finding a reason to skip his feet (I’ll do Judas last…oops, ran out of time! My bad.) Nope. Not our Jesus. No matter the sin, the stain on the heart, Christ always chooses to love AND to serve. Let that sink in. Christ would’ve been totally justified in saying, “Ya know what Judas? I love you BUT you’re gonna sell me out AND GET ME KILLED so I’m not going to wash your feet or invite you in for a meal. You understand, right? I mean, I love you as a person, but I don’t love what you do, so I’m not going to serve you. Besides, there’s other passover Seders you can attend, lots of Pharisees having Seders today, and I just think you’ll be more comfortable there. Oh,and if you see me later, don’t come in for a hug or a kiss or anything. Let’s not make this awkward.” But that’s not what happened! No! Christ welcomed him, loved him, washed his feet, and broke bread with that man. He loved AND served.
Now I am going to be short and sweet with this point today: If we are followers of Christ, we should follow his example. Period. Love and serve. Love as Christ did, without a “but” in sight. Serve as Christ did, without applying some kind of internal “do they deserve it” meter. Love and serve ALL the way Christ loved and served Judas, because that is exactly how He loves and serves each of us. He loves and serves us fully knowing the contents of our hearts. He loves and serves us generously without our having to meet some standard or requirement. He loves and serves us even when we are living in opposition to His teachings. He loves and serves us despite our small, limited selves that often forgets to see the eternal perspective and to remember we are all one and beloved in God’s eyes.
Today, live true to your faith by loving AND serving as Christ did. Because when you’re serving with Christ, love always wins.
Live True To You 