I’ve been thinking about the moment Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.
John 13 tells us that Jesus knew the Father had placed all things under His power. He knew where He had come from and where He was going.
And with that knowledge, He knelt.
The One who had every right to be served chose to serve instead.
I’ve always understood this passage as a beautiful example of humility. But lately, I’ve been considering something else about the way we serve one another.
Sometimes, in our eagerness to demonstrate love, we forget to consider how the other person is trying to express theirs.
And it makes me wonder…
Can an act of service unintentionally become more about the person performing it than the person receiving it?
I think that’s a question worth asking ourselves.
Because even with the best intentions, we can become so focused on being helpful, generous, or selfless that we forget to consider what the other person actually needs.
And sometimes, what they need isn’t another act of service.
Sometimes it’s simply the opportunity to give something of themselves.
When I return to John 13, I’m reminded that Jesus wasn’t trying to prove His humility.
He wasn’t seeking recognition.
He was demonstrating love.
And when Peter resisted having his feet washed, Jesus took the time to explain why receiving what He offered mattered, too.
Maybe there’s something to learn from both sides of that exchange.
The humility to serve without needing recognition.
And the humility to receive without feeling the need to immediately return the gesture.
Because love was never meant to be a competition over who can sacrifice more.
True humility isn’t concerned with being seen as the one who serves. It’s concerned with whether the other person has actually been loved.
And perhaps that’s what I want to remember most.
Not simply to ask whether I’ve done something loving.
But whether I’ve taken the time to understand what love requires of me.
Anchor Verse
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”
— John 13:14 (NIV)
