The Rookie

Jan. 26

Read: John 13:1-30

The Rookie

“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’” (v.6,7)

Have you ever been “the new guy” in a context? Or maybe “the rookie” on a team or in a job? We have all at some point been in this position, the place where we are the least qualified / newest / lowest ranked person in a situation. There are all sorts of stereotypical tasks that we can attach to this. “Hey, you are the new guy so you need to pay for lunch.” “Hey rookie, you ride in the middle seat!” “We have all been here longer than you, so you are the one who needs to go in there and brew the coffee.” “It is your first day on the job, you just stand there and hold the ladder.” Frankly, it is just no fun to hold the lowest position no matter where you are.

The lowest ranking slave in a home was the one who washed feet. It was a task reserved for the least qualified… for “the new guy”… the rookie… the “assistant to the regional manager”. Jesus - the very CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE - knelt down and washed the feet of his disciples. (Col 1:16) Jesus took among his disciples the task of the “new guy” and served the ones who called him “master”, teacher, and Lord. Jesus knew what it meant to humble himself. Jesus knew what it was like to voluntarily take a job that was “beneath him” and make it his own. Jesus modeled what it meant to serve one another. This made NO SENSE to his disciples including Peter. (We know this since Peter spoke up and said something about it. v.6)

Jesus told Peter that “afterwards he would understand”. (v.7) What do you think was the “afterwards”? After what exactly? After the act of washing ? After Jesus was betrayed by Judas? After He raised from the grave? At what point will it begin to make sense that Jesus was the supreme leader, ruler, and king of the universe - yet he voluntarily took the lowest position amongst his friends and washed their feet? I think Jesus was talking about the way that Peter would understand the concept of serving those you lead only after he was put into a position of leading by Jesus himself. I think that when you are young… or “new” to Christian faith… or the “rookie” in a situation… what you see first are these power structures and distinct roles. The reality is that you cannot serve like Jesus without being willing to kneel down and wash the feet of those whom you lead. You cannot claim to be like Christ without being th sort of leader who does the job of the rookie. Ultimately, Jesus was about to take THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST POSITION IN THE COSMOS when he was hung on a cross! I am not sure this “reversal” ever makes a lot of human sense… but it does in the Kingdom of God. Humbling oneself and serving those you lead - even when it means taking a role considered beneath you - is actually the path of Christ. It is the path that leads to the fullness of life Jesus is always speaking about.

Jesus did indeed “come to serve rather than be served”. (cf. Mark 10:45) We cannot hope to lead others like Christ until we are ready to “wash feet” so to speak. In our marriages with our spouses. In our parenting with our kids. In our churches with each other. In our closest relationships may we model Christ in our willingness to serve and offer the blessing rather than receive it. Love you guys. - JDP