Follow His Steps

After Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He explained to them in John 13:13-15:  "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, 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 should do as I have done to you."  The things Jesus did as Master and LORD set an example He intended His disciples to follow.  This is not always true for children who watch their dad light a fire or their mother stir frying using a wok on a hot burner.  When Jesus washed feet, it was the task all the disciples figured was beneath them and best left to others.  That was the task Jesus embraced for the good of all, and He commanded each of them to follow His example in humble service of one another.  The fact Jesus has filled Christians with the Holy Spirit means we are able to discern opportunities our flesh cannot, and He empowers us to humble ourselves before the LORD and one another as His obedient servants.

The message was not forgotten by Peter who echoed the words of Jesus concerning His example we are called to follow.  The apostle exhorted believers in 1 Peter 2:17-23:  "Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. ¹⁸ Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. ¹⁹ For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. ²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ²² "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth"; ²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..."  Following the example of Jesus extends beyond washing feet or helping others, for Peter cited the patient suffering of Jesus for doing good as our pattern to emulate.  He extended Christ's example to the words He said and how He remained silent, for He did not revile those who reviled Him.  In submitting to the flogging, mockery, crucifixion and death, Jesus committed Himself to God who judges righteously.

Among some Christians, there can be a perpetual interest and fascination to uncover secret or hidden spiritual truths of God's word.  The reality is, people can be starving for fresh revelation they seek when the satisfaction and knowledge of God they lack is found by simple obedience to what they already know.  Consider what Moses said to God's people in Deuteronomy 29:29:  "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."  The secret things belong to our God, and some of them He has been pleased to reveal through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God's word.  There are some things God has not revealed, and it is pointless to attempt to pry into them.  All that God has revealed to us belongs to us and our children so we may obey what God has said.  In a parable Jesus told in Luke 19, each servant was given one pound, and they were not to waste their effort wondering how others could best use their pound or mina.  Each one was responsible to use their master's pound wisely to make money to give him upon his return.  In the same way, we ought to make good use of the wisdom and understanding God has given us by putting it into personal practice for His glory.

Whenever we are at a loss about what to do, we only need look to the life of Jesus for an example we do well to follow.  Jesus was not sheltered from the struggles of ordinary life, and He always did the will of the Father.  Always remember Jesus has given us an example to follow, that we should do as He has done to us.  He summed it up perfectly in John 13:34:  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."