“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.” John 13:5
Pastor Steve stood on the stairs, dressed in his Sunday suit. He was holding a plunger and beaming a smile at the lady who stood in the doorway, staring at him in astonishment. He had just come from unclogging that pesky toilet downstairs, and would shortly be back at his business of greeting people before the morning service. The lady staring at him couldn’t believe the sight he made on Sunday morning, holding a plunger, of all things!
“Good morning!” Steve said cheerily.
“Honestly,” she sputtered, “sometimes I can’t tell if you’re my pastor or the janitor!”
Steve’s eyes twinkled as he said, “Why thank you! What a compliment!”
Pastor Steve was a dear friend and mentor of ours. We learned so much from him about ministry, and the heart of serving others was one of those things.
In the church, we are called to serve one another. No job is too low, even for the pastor, the pastor’s wife, or any other ministry leader. It is easy to think that being a ministry leader is about the big, flashy acts of service, or ministry tasks that keep us in the spotlight.
However, in John 13, we see Jesus wash His disciples’ feet. He gets down low and does one of the dirtiest, most humble acts of service possible. This was a shocking display of humility from a respected teacher. It certainly was not Jesus’ job to get down and get dirty in this way. And yet, He did it. He did it without a big preamble or spotlight drawing attention to Himself. He simply got to work and did what needed to be done.
Why? To humble oneself in such a way made no sense to the disciples. Truly, it makes no sense to our human pride – why would any of us choose to do something that is viewed as “below us”?
Jesus tells us why in John 13:12-17 when He sits back in His place and resumes His role of teacher. In verses 14-15 He says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
Jesus was leading by example. To be a great teacher and leader, you need to be willing to get low. You need to be humble enough to recognize that no job in ministry is too low for anyone – even the leaders. If Jesus can wash the dirty feet of the disciples, then surely we can unclog a few toilets, right?
When church members are willing to serve together in even the most menial, humble, or dirty tasks, it brings us together. We are united in our desire to serve Christ in whatever way He calls us to, whether it is washing dirty dishes, changing poopy diapers, cleaning up after a potluck, vacuuming, or any other way.
Ministry leaders are no exception to this. When we are quick to step up and do the undesirable acts of service, it creates a culture of love and respect, because there is no hierarchy of importance in God’s body. Every part of the body is just as vital and as loved as every other, whether pastor, janitor, or everything in between.
Pastor Steve took it as a compliment that someone wouldn’t know if he was a pastor or a janitor, because that meant he was doing his job of serving his congregation well. He was following the example of our Lord and Teacher washing the feet of the disciples. He was serving his congregation however they needed to be served, even if it meant unclogging the toilet in his Sunday suit.
Taking it Further:
Do you see this happening in your church? Have you been served in this way, or been able to serve others in this way?
