And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. John 13:2-5

The social order was turned upside down and inside out when Jesus washed the disciples' feet.

At ANY meal of any importance there would have been a household servant available to perform this task of hospitality. The servant would simply have washed the feet and moved away to the next guest. The servant would be inconsequential to the guest, an invisible person.  There would be no relationship between guest and servant.  The act of service would receive would be quickly and easily forgotten.

But somehow that night, although a basin and bowl for footwashing was there, the "servant" was absent. Interesting, isn't it, that none of the disciples thought to take care of the task. It seems that they would never have thought of taking upon themselves the role of the servant.  The body language in the image (above) screams out "what is going on here?"

One of those teachable moments that echo throughout history:  that's what is going on!

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things to Him, that He was from God and was going to God, rose to model to the group the way things need to be in the Kingdom.

Nobody, absolutely nobody, is greater than the other. Nobody is above the need to extend the most basic gestures of service, for it is in humble, sometimes very simple service, that the power of God's love is manifest.

This kind of loving service transforms both the servant and the one being served. Just as Jesus removed his outer garment to perform the task, there are many "outer" images and status symbols that must be shed to assume the role of a loving servant. Jesus is calling for serving relationships that dissolve hierarchy.

Jesus set aside what he KNEW about His power, and about the potential he had as the Lord of all. He modeled humility by focus performing the gentle, basic task that uplifts the OTHER.

It wasn't just about cleaning somebody's feet. It was about love.  It is about relationship, and about the kind of service that makes people totally new.

I wonder what Matthew, Luke, John or James were thinking as they saw the Lord kneeling before them, pouring water over their dusty feet, and then drying them with the towel wrapped around his waist. Perhaps they were unable to think anything at all.  I would imagine, though, that their hearts stood still to experience being served in such an amazing way.