We’re into the second week of Advent: Love.
I thought I might have a problem doing Advent blogs from my daily Bible readings since I’m following a plan that has me finishing out the year in Job, the Minor Prophets, the last part of John, and Revelation. But Love jumped out at me in John 13:
Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love. (John 13.1, TPT, emphasis mine)
And how did he show that love?
Now Jesus was fully aware that the Father had placed all things under his control, for he had come from God and was about to go back to be with him. 4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer robe, and took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ dirty feet and dry them with his towel. (John 13.3 – 5, TPT)
To Jesus, “Love” = “Serve.” It’s sometimes a foreign concept, but “servanthood” was a highly valued attribute taught by the early Navigators. I remember coming out of a neighborhood Bible study once and coming upon a dog deposit on the sidewalk. While I’m thinking, “Wow, who would let their dog do that and not clean up,” one of the other guys in the Bible study, a Naval officer and graduate of Harvard Law School, reached into his pocket for an envelope and used it to push the poop off the sidewalk. It’s an example of serving I’ve never forgotten from over 50 years ago.
I’ll write more on love and serving tomorrow.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant… (Philippians 2.3 – 7, ESV)