So, I'll be honest, I am pretty excited about this. This past Sunday Matt Chandler talked about community in our "Marked" series, where we are going through the mission statement of The Village Church. He talked about "knowing vs being known" along with some other ideas of community and what that looks like. He mentioned the "One Another's" of the New Testament and how they gave us examples of how we should act within community. I immediately looked them up online and found multiple lists already made for me (check). My idea is to discuss one of these each week in hopes that we all as a community and serve each other better, but also give us some concrete examples of what it looks like to truly live in a Christian community together. I hope these will all be helpful and maybe even insightful.
John 13:1-17
While there is certainly a lot to take from these 17 verses, but what I would like to focus on most of all with this is the application. Two questions that come to mind are, "What does this look like spiritually?" and "What does this look like physically?" I think that the example Jesus has set before us should really make us think about how we interact with one another.
What does this look like spiritually?
"What are you reading about in your Bible right now?" Why isn't this a questions we ask each other regularly? Why don't we already know? We all talk about how we need to spend more time in the word, or quiet time or whatever, so lets hold each other accountable. Get with 5 or 6 of your friends and hold each other accountable by posting pictures of your study on social media, snapchat one another, post about what you are reading individually in your devotionals each day. Why are we afraid to do this as a community? Are we ashamed? When did we as Christians become 'too cool' to admit what we believe and share it with those around us? I don't have near enough friends that I run with on the Nike Running App and I certainly don't have enough friends to share what is really impacting my life spiritually, even on the Bible App. Now that might seem pretty simple, but ask someone you know tomorrow morning at Church, "What are you reading about right now in the Bible?" and see the response you get. I know I would take a hard swallow if someone asked me that. So spiritually, what does washing one another's feet look like? It might not be holding someone accountable exactly, but we all walk through so much garbage day in and day out, it would be nice to have those around you constantly draw you back to the places and things in our lives that cleanse us. How long has someone in your community been walking through something dirty (literally and figuratively) and how afraid are we to lower our selves to a position where we not only see it, but actually help do something about it.
What does this look like physically?
I think that this question might be the hardest of the two to answer. While I don't think that Jesus was being completely literal when he said "now that I have washed your feet...you also should wash one another's feet" it does force me to ask what the equivalent of this might be in our day and age. Jesus obviously lowered himself to a status that was significantly below him, not only as their teacher but also as the Son of God. So what could we do that would even come close? Not a single one of us is greater than Jesus and yet we are unwilling to sacrifice so much for those around us. Jesus even washed the feet of a man He knew would betray Him...that really should make us/me think. None of us are bigger than picking up trash, doing laundry, cleaning gutters or whatever other dirty job we can think of. I think it is safe to say that this goes beyond courtesy. We aren't talking about holding the door open for someone. We are talking about lowering our station, using Jesus as an example of 'Servant Leadership' and serving those around us and doing something noticeable. An act that puts us in front of those we are serving. Not for credit mind you, but there is a difference in washing someone's feet and hiring someone else to do it. There is an intimacy here that I think Jesus is asking for. I am sure this act increased in significance even more a few days later after Jesus died. So what does this look like exactly? I don't know for sure. But I do know that if we are going to be 'blessed' as Jesus mentions in verse 17, we are talking about doing more than speaking to someone's Lave Language. If real Love is sacrificing yourself for someone else, how are we showing those in our Christian community that we love them? I know I don't do this enough, but I will certainly start trying.
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