When I was in Primary School, my Dad used to take me to the AFL football most weeks. Rain, hail or shine, we’d stand in ‘the outer’ cheering our team on. Unfortunately, just like now, North Melbourne lost far more games than they won, so it wasn’t always a joyous experience!
One particular day, Dad asked me if I’d like to go into the change rooms before the match. The man who stood the gate was a long-time friend and he let us in for a ‘sneak in for a peek.’ I felt so honoured, yet I was totally overawed standing amongst these giants of men, who smelled of freshly applied liniment, dressed and ready to play. As part of their warm up, they were kicking a ball to each other, running on the spot and talking in small groups. I must have stood there with my mouth wide open the whole time!
Then we were ushered out of the room as the senior coach wanted to have the last few minutes with his players alone. I would have loved to stay and hear what he had to say.
I started to imagine what it would have entailed. Prior to the game, the assistant coaches would have met with players throughout the week, discussed various tactics and set up particular drills to push them one step forward in their preparation. Then they would have met in groups to further revise, plan and work out strategies for the field. Now on game day, the senior coach gathered the team together to focus on the core message, to declutter a week’s worth of messages and remind them of the key thing they are to hold in the front of their mind.
As one reads through the New Testament book of John Chapter 13, one can’t help but have a similar sense of listening to the Senior Coach being with his team, giving them His final instructions.
"Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do… Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples when they see the love you have for each other."
John 13: 12 & 34 (The Message)
Here’s the Lord, knowing that His time walking with this group of 12 men for the past three years is about to end. Over the three years they had heard many words from Jesus and had seen Him do amazing things. Now, as the training period is about to come to an end, He focuses them on the key message.
Jesus is about to embark on this most incredible salvation plan; a salvation plan that enables all of us to reconnect with God as we were designed to do. This is something only Jesus could do and not something the disciples could help bring to pass. Hence, Jesus didn’t focus on this incredible salvation plan in these final moments. Rather, like a coach giving his team last minute instructions, the key thing Jesus wants His followers to focus on is how they are to see one another and how they are treat one another. This was His core message.
In this passage, Jesus enacts His message by washing the feet of His disciples. Here the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Messiah willingly takes the position of a servant, rather than demand to be treated like He was entitled to because of His position. If the natural order of things had been followed, it should have been the disciples who were scrambling over each other to wash Jesus’ feet! But alas, it was Jesus showing His followers how to love and treat one another.
As Jesus performs this act of service, He exemplifies the importance of doing so with a heart that desires to honour others. What a counter cultural message! It flies in the face of the way life of that time and today works. Then Jesus follows it up with an amazing statement: “let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other." If we are to love like Jesus, we are to love with a desire to honour others before ourselves. If we are to love like Jesus, we are to love with a desire to see others reconciled to God. If we are to love like Jesus, we are to love with a desire to value others more than we value ourselves. If we are to love like Jesus, we are to love with an impact that shows how God’s love is different.
There are times when I feel totally inadequate to live and love in such a manner. But then I’m reminded of the Biblical principle, God never calls us to do things that are beyond our capacity. He enables us to do what we are called to do.
As we try to live out this calling, my prayer is that we can become a community known for our capacity to love. As followers of Jesus, we are able to bring His presence into all situations. May this continue to be our reputation. May we continue to honour Jesus because we live and love like Him.