The Way To Get Ahead Is To Start At The Feet

I've always wondered what a "Maundy" is. Actually, that's not entirely true. For the first few years available to my memory, I thought today was called "Monday Thursday," which made even less sense to me than whatever a "Maundy" was, once I figured out that's what they were saying.

Though there is some uncertainty about the meaning of the phrase, it most likely is taken from an old English derivation of a French pronunciation of the first word in the Latin of John 13:34 - "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos."

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

This was a part of the teaching Jesus passed to His disciples, after He had washed their feet, after dinner and the departure of Judas. It was among His final set of instructions to the Twelve, as He let them know they were in for some dark days.

Today, we remember that Last Supper, but, rightly, we also remember Jesus washing His disciples feet. Jesus uses this event to teach a couple different lessons. The first is the value of being washed by the Master:

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. (John 13:8b-10a)

But His second point is one He had repeated to His disciples throughout His ministry: 

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:12-17)

A life following Christ is a life of service. If you want to love somebody, you serve to meet their needs. Consider Ephesians 5:25-28

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

How many marriages could be saved -- how many abusive relationships avoided -- if men could only understand the example of Christ? Men are not meant to dominate the household, but to serve in the role of leader?

Consider how the entire world could change, if that word, "leader" were properly understood in the context of Christ? If we knew -- really knew -- that to lead was to serve?

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28) 

We as followers of Christ are not called to think ourselves better than others. Time and time again, Christ humbles the self-righteous, and exalts the humble. He values service and love over man's vacuous (and frankly dubious) standards of leadership.

The true leaders -- be it in Church, in government, or in the household -- are those humble enough to serve.