A few days ago after I had cleaned the house my husband decides to put his boots on in the living room and what happens? He leaves dirt in my floor, dirt that he smiles, and says, "Can you clean that up for me?" For a moment, my first thought was, "I just cleaned that floor, and now you want me to clean up after you?" My second thought, was the voice of the Lord, and I could hear His words saying, "Serve my sweet daughter." Here I am tired and thinking I am so tired of cleaning up after others, what am I a maid? Jesus spoke right to my heart. No, I am not a maid, but I am a servant. For all my husband does for me, why did that little bit of dirt in the floor bother me? It was just dirt, right? I get the broom, clean it up and the next day, the same thing happens. More dirt! I thought I am so angry right now, and again the Lord spoke, and I could hear the words, "I washed the feet of those I loved". It was one of the sweetest moments, just me, the Lord and the dirt on the floor. Jesus didn't come to be served, He came to serve, and He is our greatest example of love. As I read over the words in John 13, I could see my Jesus, washing the feet of the disciples, I could see the love in His eyes and in those He was serving. What a beautiful picture, what a beautiful symbol of love. John 13:14-17 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than His master; nor is he who is sent greater than He who sent Him."
Love is an action, service is an action, and when we choose to love and serve God, we choose to do that for others, not just the ones we love, but all. That dirt was not on MY floor, it was on the floor of Jesus. All I have is His, all I love is His, and how humbling it is to remember that Jesus didn't put Himself above others, He put Himself right there with us, right there in the dirt He touched me, He spoke to my heart words I needed to hear right then.
In the biblical times when they entered a house they washed their feet, so for Jesus to take the water, the towel, and to place their feet in His hands was something they could not grasp right then, but Jesus showed them the greatest gift is love, it is sacrifice and it is serving. I need to follow His example daily, I need to walk in such a way that others see Jesus in my actions and words.
My husband wasn't being mean when he smiled and asked me to clean up the dirt in the floor, he was asking his wife, kindly to help him. Instead of me getting angry about a little dirt that can be swept up, I needed to be thankful I have a husband to clean up dirt after, a husband who loves me and shows me love. I needed to rethink my actions as I swept up dirt, for whatever I do, I should do for my Savior and I should do it humbly, with love, always thinking of all He gave and did for me, and still does today.
Thank you Jesus for Your words, for having a sweet moment with You to share. Please keep me humble, keep my heart in the right place, right there with You, and You with me. Help me to always be grateful, and to always serve with a glad heart~
Galatians 5:13 "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Through true liberty, we find love in serving others, in that service we find love~
