Jn 13:1, Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
Loves lowest road, is Christlikeness’ highest expression. Verse one says that Jesus loved his disciples, who were in the world, to the uttermost. Because they were in the world, they like everybody else, affected by the Fall, had dirty feet spiritually speaking. Jesus got on his hands and knees and in humility loved them down in the dirt. This is where Christlikeness happens; where love happens; down in the dirt. This doesn’t appear to be a great miracle compared to some of the other miracles Jesus performed; but love expressed down in the dirt is the greatest miracle of all, from which all other signs and wonders flow. Jesus told them that His actions of washing their feet was an example for them of the supernatural life of love, and He then told them that if they would follow his example and get down on their hands and knees, and wash each other’s dirt, they would be blessed. Every Christian I know wants to live an extraordinary life, and have an extraordinary tale the tell; but Jesus is trying to tell us that an extraordinary life is not one that does what we often think to be extraordinary things. Instead, a truly extraordinary life is one that does the ordinary things with extraordinary love. This is the kind of life that Jesus promises to bless. All day each of us will be given opportunities to give away extraordinary love to the next person we walk by, or stand in front of. May something as simple as a smile, or a kind word carry the wrecking ball of the love of Jesus to a person that can change their life forever. Maybe just a simple act of joyful, sacrificial service, or asking if you can pray for them for healing, or favor of some kind. Jesus was very intentional when He laid everything aside and got down on His hands and knees, transparently loving them down in their dirt. I pray we take our Cross daily and follow Him to the place of extraordinary love.