If we are to serve, we are guaranteed to get our hands dirty. At times we privately recoil at the thought of getting messy, losing sight of Jesus’ servant heart as he gently scrubbed his disciples’ feet. Together, we will be reminded and inspired to explore opportunities to serve in new ways, recognizing the opportunity to open our hands and hearts. Grab your towel and be ready to do some spiritual house cleaning through the dirty work of serving.

Scripture Reference:

Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

1 Peter 4:10
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

John 13:3-17
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand 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, 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 also should do just as I have done to you.16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Questions to consider:

  • What does having a servant heart look like in the workplace?
  • How have you seen people respond to you when you have a servant heart approach to work?
  • What are the challenges to serving?
  • How do you recognize opportunities to serve? How do you decide when your normal tasks should be interrupted and serve, versus ignore the opportunity and not serve?