Focal Pointe Week #9

Washing Stinky Feet

John 13:3-5, 12-15 (ESV)
³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ¹² When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?  ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

John paints a powerful picture.  The disciples are gathered together, sharing a final meal with the master before what would be his own sacrifice.  A moment that you’d expect him to get the royal treatment!  And what does he do?  Not what you’d expect!  You see, it was customary for a servant to wash the dust off the feet of anyone who entered the home of his master. In this case, however, no one humbled himself to wash feet, so everyone’s feet remained dirty.  What does Jesus do?  He lays aside his outer garment, ties a servant’s towel around his waist and begins to love those that follow him.  Now, telling this same story, Luke reminds us that the disciples were not sitting in wooden ladder-backed chairs gazing affectionately at Jesus; not like the Leonardo Davinci painting of “The Last Supper” might lead us to believe.  No, they were reclined around what was probably a low table, piously arguing among themselves about who was the greatest (See Luke 22:24-27).  You see, they weren’t as enamored with Jesus as they were their own ego.  Something we struggle with from time to time.  Concerns rattle us over who gets the recognition, who’s more important, or who gets the final word on the matter.   But its here, in this environment, that Jesus gives one of his greatest lessons.  He shows that just as the branch which bears the most fruit bows the lowest, the one who’s really fruitful in life will bow the lowest to serve others.   Gang, you will never be disappointed if you live a life of humility and service to your friends and colleagues.  If fact, quite the opposite, you will be delighted.  Because in doing so, you will be achieving the greatest honor given to anyone.  You’ll be following in the footsteps of Jesus.  It doesn’t get any better than that!

Have a good week.

Shane

Are you counting it all as joy?

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” James 1:2 (ESV)

Trials are designed to produce spiritual maturity and we should count them as joy. They are tests that sometimes challenge our faith. When trials happen, we should “Count it all joy” – not in a worldly way, but in a spiritual way, having total joy in the God who rules over everything, including trials.

I know that many of you have studied James before. In fact, as I write this, the NorthPointe Singles Ministry is in the middle of a study on the book of James. But have you ever studied James from a ministry perspective?

If the trials in our life are designed to produce spiritual maturity in our life, couldn’t the same thing be said about trials in our ministries? I believe that trials in our ministries are designed by God to produce spiritual maturity in our ministries. You see, they’re part of the “good gifts” (James1:17) that God gives to his people to make them, and their ministries complete. We should not run from these things. We should embrace them because they come from a loving God who wants us to discover something. And the sooner we discover it, the sooner the trial can become an experience in gaining maturity.

Are you facing trials in your life or ministry? Ask yourself this question: “If trials are designed to produce spiritual maturity, and I am facing a trial, where in my life or ministry am I lacking spiritual maturity?” If you are brave enough to ask that question of yourself, I am confident that you’ll be through the trial in no time!

Have a blessed week NorthPointe!

Shawn