Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

NO WAY

June 16, 2010

"That ain't gonna happen!" or "No way!." These are expressions we blurt out when we are either offended by the thought, we think it impossible, or even are in violent opposition to such an idea.

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He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you will never wash my feet."
- John 13:6-8 TNIV
 

Jesus gathers his closest few, and it dawns upon them all that Jesus is about to wash their filthy feet, the task delegated to the lowest servant. "No way, that ain't gonna happen," protests Peter. It wasn't that Peter didn't expect his feet to be washed, but he would not have his master lower himself for such a task, and he was not going to allow Jesus to be a grunt to him or anyone else. As we know, Jesus not only corrects Peter's mistake, but then turns the tables on them all, especially Peter.

"Now that I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." (14) Translation? "Peter, if you want to follow me, get ready to serve others, to be the grunt of others." Are we following Christ today? If so, what grunt work stands before us today and we find ourselves saying, "That ain't gonna happen"?
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson