Serving others

1 Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

How do you serve one another?  Yesterday, my Sunday School class learned about serving others, even in difficult relationships.  Being Jr. High kids, most of them thought of their own siblings when thinking about difficult relationships. 

John 13:3-10

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. 

Jesus had to deal with difficult relationships as well.  Simon Peter was no easy person to deal with, yet Jesus served him.  Simon Peter questioned why Jesus would wash his feet.  Jesus was not washing the disciples feet simply because he thought they were dirty.  He was trying to get them to see the bigger picture of how he was about to serve them through his death.  That his death would wash their sins away. 

Each of us have been given talents to serve.  It’s not simply to make someone feel good rather to share the love of Christ with them. 

As I had my kids wash each others feet yesterday, we then talked about how it wasn’t because they came to class with stinky feet, rather because we are all called to humble ourselves and do for others.  To be a reflection of Christ in all that we do.

What gifts do you have from God that you might be able to use to serve others?  Share those gifts today with those that you encounter.