Servanthood......it sounds very noble, the bible mentioned it, the church talked about it, leaders tried to live up to it, many christian authors explored on it.......
What exactly servanthood is all about? I doubt many of us will be able to define it in words.......perhaps it is not meant to be defined......or even to be taught. Rather, it is meant to be caught......
One of the profound act that Jesus did before his cruxification was washing his disciples feet. I believe most of us know the story and heard many sermons and bible exposition on it. Yes, he was demonstrating servanthood to his disciples. Interestingly, Jesus did not spend another 30 minutes or so preaching to them on 10 steps to become a great servant. Instead, after being questioned by clueless Peter, he concluded by saying, "......Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
To put it in a plain English, Jesus is simply saying, "Just do what I have done". So what exactly Jesus has done? Literally, he washed somebody's feet (which was a duty of a servant during that period of time). But we must look beyond the act itself and feel the heart beat of Jesus when he was making the choice, picking up a towel, kneeling down before the stinky feet and washing them one by one.
So how does the simple act of washing feet be relevant to servanthood, especially in today's context?
Washing a person's feet is not always a pleasant experience. You will never know what kind of feet you will be encountering. It takes great humility, dying to self, total submission and love carry on.
Washing a person's feet is not always a fantastic act. Let's be honest, it does not seem to be a noble thing to do. Most of the time there are only the washer and the 'washee'. No audience, no stage, no spotlight nor fancy music. Hence, don't expect any cheers and praises. Afterall, it is just too ordinary as compared to the healing of the sick and raising of the dead. There is no migthy swords or silver armors, just a towel and a basin of water. Again, it is too 'ordinary'.
Washing a person's feet does not always bring gratitude. The most difficult part of being a servant is when you are being treated like......a servant. People tend to take you for granted after some time, just like how we have often taken our pastors, our leaders, our close friends, our parents and even our God for granted.
I believe many of us have the desire to serve. But sadly we have limited view of servanthood. Sometimes we thought we have done God a huge favour by involving in a church ministry, or leading worship on a Sunday morning. It is not incorrect, just incomplete. What about washing plates after potbless, driving a friend who does not have transport to somewhere, buying food for somebody who is sick, asking a tired friend 'how are you?'......etc etc... Indeed, there are plenty of opportunity to serve others. But we have overlooked most of them simply because they are just too 'ordinary'....like washing some smelly feet.
We must 'catch' the servanthood that Jesus himself has lived up to. Indeed serving others is not always a pleasant experience, not always a fantastic act and does not always bring gratitude. But, above all this, Jesus did it anyway.
