“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15 NLT)
You were listening on the radio or hearing the music play on the radio when the performer dubbed as the Godfather of Soul included in one of his hit songs, “Watch me! Watch me!” You did more than watch! In the confines of your home or even your cozy room, some place where no one would see and critique your dancing ability, you went beyond watching and did some doing! Yes, you were trying your best to do just what the entertainer did as you recalled seeing him on TV or in concert. The younger generation just copied what they saw in documentaries or movies. In either case, you went beyond the command to “Watch me!” You did your best in doing the “Mashed Potatoes,” “the “Jerk,” the “Boogaloo,” or sometimes you just got creative and made up your own dance. The point is that you went beyond “watching” the star and in your mind, you were “acting” like the star.
In the verse above, found in John’s gospel where he writes about Jesus washing the feet of His disciples after they had passed by the towels and water sitting by the entry way which were left there so they could cleanse their feet. Dr. Stephen E. Tucker, a fellow pastor, and a friend since childhood, once said, “Jesus was teaching them about towel service and not title service.” He was also teaching them about being made clean again, and forgiveness. But today, let us focus on the service part. Jesus did not let His position of leadership, or His past works, or His preeminence of being the Son of God stop Him from serving., we must find ourselves doing the same; serving others. “Watch me?” Don’t stop there! Don’t just watch Jesus, but willfully do your best to “do Jesus,” not the godfather, but the Son of God, Emmanuel, God in the flesh! Be Christ-like today, and not behind closed doors! Give it your best and don’t be affected by anybody’s critique of your Christian doings.
Yes, do what Jesus did, particularly on this specific Thursday, intending to focus on serving others. Serve, regardless of your life success, no matter the size and location of your workspace, despite the loftiness of your job title, or the lengthy list of accomplishments on your resume! Don’t let any of that or anything else get in your way! Do something that others may deem beneath you, while you see it becoming to you as a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ. Your service will cause a good feeling to surface up inside you and at the same time, help someone else in more ways than one. How will you serve? You will have some kind of opportunities. Don’t just walk by them! Be great in the eyes of the Lord! Be blessed!
“Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest. But Jesus intervened: “Kings like to throw their weight around and people in authority like to give themselves fancy titles. It’s not going to be that way with you. Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant.”(Luke 22”26-27 The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King