We can only get the big things by getting the small things
Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Bern Leckie answers:
What did I like about today's passage?
John has a way of capturing the essence of Jesus – massive proof of God’s enormous love and power to change the world, embodied in a single person, a newborn child as we remember at Christmas.
In chapters 11 and 12 I was struck by the huge implications of believing in Jesus. He isn’t someone who can easily be dismissed as simply a nice or wise person. But since then, our Advent Calendar story reminded me that God likes to grow big things from small beginnings. In chapters 13 and 14, I think John has recorded the way Jesus addresses his followers who are struggling to get their heads around the vast scope of his power and promises.
Unexpectedly for a mighty leader, he becomes a servant. Washing people’s feet wasn’t something expected of the most capable servants either, just obedient ones willing to lower themselves. Could we do that? Jesus says we should. In the status-obsessed Roman world, that was even more shocking than it might be to us.
It’s not a pointless shock, though. I see it as an approachable, doable thing. Fully grasping God’s plan for a new kingdom reality is hard. Washing feet, not so much, if we are willing. Maybe that’s a big if, though. What would get in the way, if not skill? Pride, perhaps?
I think Jesus knows that when he asks to us to change our minds, believe and follow him, we run into big resistance within ourselves. But he offers small things we can do to start to overcome this. There’s a physical symbol in washing. There’s trust we can start to build in Jesus. We do this by making small steps of obedience to him. Does that seem like too much?
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
God invites us into the massive realm of new life through small, graspable things. This can begin with faith in and obedience to one person, Jesus.
When his followers ask for more details about the way he is going, Jesus simplifies things even more – he is the way. By sticking with Jesus, we won’t miss a thing, even though the scale of what he is doing in the world is incredible and impossible to grasp without him.
Jesus embodies and demonstrates servant leadership of people and obedience to God the Father. He calls us to follow him, do the same and receive the Holy Spirit, which no-one else is looking for but empowers believers in massive ways.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
Sometimes I feel that I don’t have the “peace of mind and heart” Jesus promises, and that is usually because I’m looking for it from things in the world other than Jesus. I’m going to spend time between now and Christmas narrowing my focus on him, growing awareness of what isn’t close to him, and seeing if there is anything God wants me to simplify in my life.
Who am I going to share this with?
My family.