Portraits of Devotion by Beth Moore

Author:Beth Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion/Christian Life/Devotional
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2014-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

Day 187

Luke 22:24–30

Who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves (v. 27).

Are you like me? Do you want to be made like Him—but more through His victories than His sufferings? Thankfully, we have a Savior who is willing to steadfastly walk with us even when we take three steps forward and two steps back. We’ll see the colors of His willingness painted like a mural on the walls of the upper room.

If we often find ourselves in contrast to Jesus’ perfect character, we’re not so unlike His original disciples. Their inability at the Passover table to pinpoint who was the worst among them led to a dispute over who was the greatest. Had not Christ already dealt with them over this issue? However, being declared “guilty as charged” only condemns us. Left alone, it does nothing to change us. Like the apostles, we are slow to learn.

When we recognize that the disciples’ sandals fit our feet, let’s allow Christ to kneel in front of us, slip them off, and wash our feet. Oh, how we need Jesus to minister humility to us. Without it, He will vastly limit how much He ministers through us. John 13 tells us how Jesus laid aside His garments and washed the disciples’ feet.

As effective as the lesson was, Christ still hadn’t settled the issue of greatness. He knew that the matter was so critical that He would need to prove on a field trip what He had taught in class. I could kick myself for forcing lessons into field trips instead of learning them in the classroom, but I don’t mind telling you, field trips are effective! I fear the lesson on greatness is rarely learned in the classroom alone.

Within hours, each of these disciples would encounter just how “great” they were. All would desert Christ and flee (see Matt. 26:56). However, the lesson taught and demonstrated in the upper (class)room, then confirmed during the field trip, would eventually “stick.” Christ turned these eleven status-seekers into humble servants.

Again I find myself so amazed at the character of Christ. Just when we wouldn’t have blamed Him if He had thrown water all over them, He washed their feet. And just when they argued over who was the greatest, He paid them their greatest compliment. Luke 22:28 records His words, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials.”

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