Too Good

By Allen White


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


Do you catch what Jesus is saying here? If Jesus is not too good to wash his disciples’ feet, then guess what? None of us is better than Jesus. Followers of Christ are not too good to serve other people. If nothing was beneath Jesus, then how could serving possibly be beneath us?


Now that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go to Africa or clean up after people who can’t care for themselves. But, it might. Often we are afraid to surrender to the will of God because we are afraid that God will require us to do something that we don’t want to do. I think being on the wrong side of God is far worse than anything we might be afraid that God would ask us to do.


I believe that God has uniquely wired each of us for a ministry that He has put us on this earth to accomplish. Our abilities, spiritual gifts, our education, our experiences, and even our personalities are specifically suited for what God has called us to do.


Maybe you’ve already found your ministry. If you haven’t, then I would encourage you to sign up for the PLACE class and see how all of this fits together for you.

 But, there is another kind of service that all of us are called to do. I refer to this as “the ministry of doing what needs to be done.” Do you know someone who needs help? Help them. Do you know someone who needs to be encouraged? Encourage them. Do you know someone who is lonely? Listen to them. Do you know someone who has offended or harmed you? Forgive them. Okay, we were good until that last one.


But, think about this: Jesus has cleansed us. Jesus has forgiven us. Now, Jesus calls us to serve each other. Jesus calls us to forgive each other (Matthew 18:21-35). Wow, maybe Africa doesn’t sound so bad after all.


Who do you need to forgive? Maybe you’ve already tried to forgive them. How do you know if you’ve actually forgiven? When you can wish them well, you’ve forgiven. If you still secretly would like to see them get run over by a bus, then you haven’t. If you can’t get past the hurt, then ask God to help you forgive. He is an expert at forgiveness.




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