If I Cannot Stoop to Follow Christ's Example

Christians must never be ashamed of doing anything that Christ has done.

• We read, "Verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”

There seems little doubt that our Lord's all-seeing eye saw a rising unwillingness in the minds of the Apostles to do such menial things as they had just seen Him do.

• Puffed up with their old Jewish expectation of thrones and kingdoms in this world, 
• secretly self-satisfied with their own position as our Lord's friends, 
• these poor Galileans were startled at the idea of washing people's feet! 
• They could not bring themselves to believe that Messiah's service entailed work like this. 

They could not yet take in the grand truth, that true Christian greatness consisted in doing good to others. 

• And hence they needed our Lord's word of warning. 
• If He had humbled Himself to do humbling work, 
• His disciples must not hesitate to do the same.

The lesson is one of which I need to be reminded. 

• I am all too apt to dislike any work which seems to entail trouble, self-denial, and going down to my inferiors. 
• I am only too ready to relegate such work to others, and to excuse myself by saying, "It is not in my way." 

When feelings of this kind arise within me I shall find it good to remember my Lord's words in this passage, no less than my Lord's example. 

• I ought never to think it beneath me to show kindness to the lowest of men. 
• I ought never to hold my hand because the objects of my kindness are ungrateful or unworthy. 
• Such was not the“mind of Him who washed the feet of Judas Iscariot as well as Peter. 
• If in these matters I cannot stoop to follow Christ's example, I will give little evidence of possessing true love or true humility.

Adapted Excerpt From

The Gospel of John

J. C. Ryle