Men of Selfless Serviceનમૂનો

Radical Servanthood

In John 13, Jesus does something extraordinary.

The King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who created me and you and everything in the entire universe, knelt before His disciples and washed their feet.

In 1st-century Israel, foot washing was a task typically performed by the lowest servant in the household. Yet Jesus chose to do it, demonstrating a radical kind of humility and love.

When He finished, He asked them a simple but profound question: “Do you understand what I have done to you?” (v. 12). Jesus was teaching His followers what it means to have the heart of a servant. He wanted them to see that greatness in God’s Kingdom isn’t about power or position but about lowering yourself to lift others up.

For Christ-followers, having the heart of a servant means putting aside our pride, laziness, preferences, and comfort to meet the needs of others. It’s about choosing humility, even when it forces us to go out of our way and do tasks that we might think are beneath us.

Practically speaking, this might look like giving up your Saturday to help a friend move when you previously planned to sleep in, eat pizza, and binge-watch Netflix all day. Or it might be a case of helping your wife’s parents or your grandparents clean their house (yes, even scrub the toilet!) when they are incapacitated by old age.

If you dive into the passage above, you’ll notice that Jesus even washed the feet of the one who would soon betray Him—Judas. So, being a servant means you’re willing to do things for an enemy, individuals you may not necessarily like, or those who would never do anything good for you in return.

This is radical servanthood.

Jesus makes it clear that this kind of service isn’t optional. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (v. 14). He calls us to follow His example, not for recognition or reward, but out of love for God and others.

This kind of servant-heartedness doesn’t come naturally. It requires a heart transformed by the Gospel, a born-again heart that understands how deeply Jesus has served us through His life, death, and resurrection. When we reflect on all He has done for us, we are moved to serve others in gratitude and joy.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me what true humility looks like. Help me to follow Your example and serve others with love and a willing heart. Teach me to see opportunities to serve, even in small ways, and give me the strength to put others before myself. Amen.

Reflection: What is one way you can follow Jesus’ example of “washing feet” this week?