by Victoria Heinecke

Living in quiet service, behind the scenes, for God’s glory.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“(Jesus) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
John 13:5-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

One of my duties as an attendant in the YMCA’s Healthy Living Center is changing out the towels that hang on many of the fitness machines. Towards the end of our shifts, we take the soggy towels and replace them with fresh, fluffy ones. The wet towels are washed and dried in a hot dryer, ready for the next shift to replace them before they leave. This cycle repeats itself three or four times every day, often out of members’ sight.

At the Passover just before his crucifixion, when Jesus showed how much he loved his disciples, he didn’t blaze brightly as he did in the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13). He didn’t bring an army to throw out their Roman oppressors.

He wrapped himself in a towel and washed their feet.

Think of Jesus, kneeling on the floor, rubbing the dirt off of your feet with a towel.

“when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
John 13:2 ESV

Sometimes, it’s the smallest acts of love that can have the biggest impact on others.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts of service that you give. Help us see opportunities to show your love, so others may see you more clearly. Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Colorado Springs, Colorado