Men of authority serve...

I wish I could introduce you personally to my dear friend, Gregg Prickett. (Above at right.) Gregg is a superior court judge in Orange County, California, and the chairman of the Evangelical Friends Mission Board that I sit on twice a year. He is an able leader who shows great wisdom and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit as we meet. His ability to summarize what God seems to be saying to us is amazing.

But what impresses me most about Gregg is his humble service to others outside the conference room. When Gregg finishes a meal during our meetings, he takes his plate off the table then returns to the dining room and quietly honors others by acting as their busboy. He clears plate after plate from tables all around the room, allowing those in conversation to continue enjoying each others’ company without interruption.

It seems a bit odd, doesn’t it, for a man of such authority, a judge, a chairman of the board to be waiting on others. Because of his powerful position, you’d think Gregg would be the one receiving service rather than giving it. But there he is, every time we meet at Quaker Ridge Camp, scraping leftovers into the trash and dumping dirty knives and forks and spoons into a plastic tub full of hot, soapy water.

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

“The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’

“Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’

“‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’

“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, ‘A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

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. I tell you the truth, 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 13:1-17, NIV)

Hmmm…perhaps men of authority serving others isn’t so unusual – at least not in God’s kingdom.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power. He knew that he had come from God. He knew he was returning to God. There was no one higher in authority than Jesus, so he got up and served his followers by washing their sweaty, smelly feet. He washed off the dung they’d stepped in. He rubbed off the dust. He cleaned between each toe then dried each foot tenderly, showing them the full extent of his love. When he was done with this menial task, he resumed his seat at the table and with great authority commanded those who had been thus served to humbly serve each other in the same way. He had set the example. He had shown the way. His actions spoke this truth clearly: no task is beneath a man or woman, no matter their worldly or churchly position, who would follow Jesus with all his heart.

To receive my once or twice weekly message via email, send a blank email to webmessage-subscribe@associate.com. Past messages are available at freegroups.net/groups/webmessage.