Let Him do the Loving thing.

Read time: 10mins

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

John 13:34-35

Jesus knew He was about to die. At the beginning of this chapter, we see that. Jesus knew these were His final moments so He did and said some things He knew He wanted to leave with His disciples before He left. 

He was at dinner just hanging out and He gets up from the table and starts washing their feet and drying them with a towel around Him. This was crazy. For us, it would be nasty and maybe a little awkward but in a Palestinian, Greco-Roman world this was crazy. He was playing outside of the lines of the cultural system and hierarchy. Jesus was the head of the group and should be served not serving. This is worse than a CEO asking to be paid the least. It was unheard of. The head of the table got down on His hands and knees and got dirty to publicly care for the needs of people below Him. And not just any people, people He knew would betray Him. Crazy right? 

Then He says something even crazier than what He just did. 

 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. Very truly I tell you, 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 John 13:14-17.

So now they can’t even run from this craziness at this point. Jesus makes it plain. This isn't something Jesus just did on a whim. He wants us to do this too?! And what exactly is that? What did He mean by washing their feet? Jesus wants us to be caring and humble enough to give up our social position, “clout,” and comfort to love on and serve even the minute needs of others who don't even like us like that. That's a tall order. That literally sounds crazy. 

These final moments are like a last will and testament. And this is what Jesus is tryna leave with? 

In verse 34 Jesus elaborates, 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:34-35.

Jesus is leaving them with a final command that sums up all the rest. And that command is to love. But what kind of love? You should go to 1 Corinthians 13 to study more about this love but we can touch on it some here. This love is full of sacrifice. It isn't self-aggrandizing. Not just love when it's convenient. Not just love when it aligns with your ego. Not just love when it means you don't have to step back and admit fault. But a love that builds. A love that edifies. A love that is full of enough confidence to let down your guard. A love that is vulnerable and honest. That is the sign of if someone is really following what Jesus lived by. That is the sign of if we are really following Jesus. Are we committed to dying to our own desires and egos enough to really love? Are we filled enough to give? Are we secure enough to put ourselves last. That is the question. 

The love we are called to embody is sacrificial, not self-serving. It's almost crazy. Well.. based on our logic it is crazy.  This love doesn't want anything back. It seems like a bad investment on the surface but Jesus promises blessings bigger than we can think or imagine if we fall into it. But that's a different devotional. 

Love is crazy. Love is hard but no one expects you to get it 100% right 100% of the time on your own. Jesus wants to do it for you. All you need to do is let Jesus rock. Jesus is producing the love in you, you just need to let Him. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13. 

You may be broken. You may make mistakes. But I guarantee you probably aren't as bad as David or Moses, or Saul, or even Peter. And if God can help them grow in love He can surely help you. 

You don't have to be perfect, but if you give yourself to Jesus He is committed to being strong in your weakness. You just have to give yourself to Him. 

Give yourself to God. Honestly. Give the real you with all your flaws and mistakes and He will work. Life is difficult but with Christ there is peace. He is doing the work in you to not just help you love others but love you through the process. The love He loved you with first is what heals and fuels your soul enough to love others. It fills you so that you can pour. It gives so you can share. It secures so you can live without fear. It starts with Him. Consecrate yourself to Him. Dedicate this new stage of life to Him. Allow Him to be the choice you filter everything else through. Just turn to Him. He will do a work in you that will prove to the world you are following Him. This commission to love like Jesus is more possible than we think. We just need to allow the original to continue to perform His perfect work. It starts with Jesus. Love starts with Jesus. If Jesus was the only person that was able to choose love even when people discarded and hated Him, why wouldn’t you let Him be the one running the love in your life?

The best way to react to love is to share it back. So send this devotional to someone who may need it and remind them to subscribe through the subscription link then they never miss a morning word through this ministry. 

I want to thank you for over two years of ministry. This ministry has been funded by the donations of subscribers like you. There have been times when I financially was about to quit but God used people like you to send just the right amount to keep this running and I want to thank you. You can continue to support through the donation tab on the website or Cash App $ThoughtsByPace. I have no idea how God grew a quarantine project into a platform where hundreds are getting to know who they are in Jesus more. Thank you for all you do. 

Please subscribe through the “Subscribe” link or texting “Thoughts” to 844-750-0137 so that I never miss you when I send out a new devotional. Love the journey God has had me on through this ministry. Looking forward to the future.