EquippedMama

⁶ Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” ⁸ Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus replied, “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” ¹¹ (For Jesus knew the one who was going to betray him. For this reason he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”) ¹² So when Jesus had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example—you should do just as I have done for you. ¹⁶ I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 13:6-17, NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Have you ever noticed that since becoming a mom, gross jobs don’t really bother you? Plunging a toilet, unclogging a shower drain, changing diapers, wiping boggers, it all becomes routine. Since having my little daughter, however, I realized that while I am quick to care for her messy diapers and clean up her throw-up, that does not make me any more eager to clean up the messes of others. Likewise, when she starts crying in public I am quick to try to soothe her, but when I hear another child cry, I silently sigh relief that I don’t need to intervene.

In this passage in John, we are reminded that as followers of Jesus, we are never to see work as beneath us, or servitude as distasteful. This example of service was set during the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, just hours before his arrest and less than a day from his execution. Given fleeting moments to share with his disciples, he exemplified absolute love, stooping to the ground and doing the work of a slave. He was not met with gratitude or warmth-at least not that is recorded. Peter was quick to protest at this act (v. 8) and Judas had already made plans with the religious leaders to betray him (Mark 14:10-11). Throughout the time that the disciples served alongside Jesus, they proved their humanness over and over, demonstrating fear (Mark 4:40), hardness of heart (Mark 6:52), comparisons and pride (Mark 9:34). Yet in spite of their failures, and knowing specifically which disciple would betray him (John 13:11) Jesus served.

For those of us who are mamas of little ones, I assume we have already identified a list of ways that we “wash feet” every day- perhaps even literally! But as we study this passage and make a few observations, we recognize that Jesus asks us to do so much more than simply complete our to-do list of raising our families.

We are to wash the feet of those God has called us to despite their response. Likely Jesus was not surprised at the unfavorable reactions his unannounced service caused, but he did not do what he did for gratitude. As we serve the people that God has put in our lives, we must sacrifice our desire to be thanked and simply obey the call that God has put on us.

Also, as Jesus was under submission to the will of God the Father during his earthly ministry, (Luke 22:42) so we, too are in direct service to Jesus, who is our Lord and master. If Jesus calls us to a season- or a lifetime- of unappreciated, mundane tasks, than he has not asked us to do anything that he himself, has not done. True servitude comes, then, in understanding who our Master is, and from where we receive our reward. Jesus speaks to both of these issues in Matthew 25 when he describes the final judgement.

³⁴ Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

Matthew 25:34-40, NET

Do we keep this eternal perspective in our mothering? I believe this is where being a true servant mama comes from. We must have an understanding of Who we serve, and when we will receive our reward. When our little one interrupts our rest with vomiting, or breaks our favorite vase, or pours leftovers all over the floor, it means that we respond with the love of Christ- and recognize that cleaning up vomit is not beneath us. It means that when we are asked to help with nursery and we’d rather be singing on the praise team at our church, we recognize that we are serving the Lord rather than people. It means that when our tidy homes are ripped apart by children you offer to babysit, you do not throw a pity party… you recognize that you are washing feet. You do whatever the Lord has called you to do for the least of these. You do it for Him, and wait for Him to repay you.

This is what it means to be a servant mama.