Why?
It’s the most important of the 6 interrogative words (i.e. who, what, where, when, why, how). Having the answers to the other 5 are good and necessary, but, at least in my opinion, “why” is the ultimate question to answer.
Why did [you] do this or that?
Why is this or that a certain way?
Why did the chicken cross the road? (Sorry, couldn’t help myself)
…Why did God allow this to happen?
etc, etc.
With little regard as to the subject, people more often than not want to know the answer to the “why”s of life most of all.
In fact, you’re probably asking a why question right now, such as, “Why is he talking about ‘why’ so much?”
Well, the simple answer to that is that God has shown me recently that it is the most important question to answer, not just in life, but in our faith particularly. But the simple answer is too simple, so let’s try for the long answer!
And here it goes!
A few evenings ago, the women of our two teams working here at Myanmar Mission College held an event for local women, talking about their identity both in their eyes but also God’s eyes. I, wanting to serve them in how I could (since it was a women’s event) sat nearby and lifted them all up in prayer.
At one point during the course of the evening, they referenced John 13 where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. I had my Bible handy, so I decided to look it up for myself to get more clarity on how I could be praying for them in this. I was already familiar with the account in John, and how in it Jesus set for us an example in how to serve others.
But even when you think you know everything about the Bible, God is there to remind you just how little you actually know. And this instance was such a one as that for me.
It started right out of the gates as I began to read that Jesus first removed His garments and cast them aside before anything else. That’s pretty humbling for a common fellow, and here was God in flesh, the Creator of us and the whole universe, stripping Himself down to His undergarments in complete humility.
I’m gonna pause storytime here to you can take a few minutes to let that sink in.
… No, really. Stop and THINK about it!
How did that slap you? Hang on to your phone then, because that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It only got harder to grapple with for me.
As I read of how He began to wash their feet, I made a cultural connection with the story. You see, in Asia, one shared cultural observance from country to country is the removing of shoes before entering a home, particularly a Buddhist temple, and occasionally a business. Feet are dirty. In fact that are far and away the most unclean part of the body. They are home to many different kinds of bacteria and viruses, and are constantly exposed to the grime and filth that festers in shoes and on the the ground. In Asia, there are a lot of dirt roads and in the drier seasons it is not hard to get your feet dusty and dirty, even in shoes and socks. Feet are offensive here. In more traditional and rural areas, it is impolite to even cross your legs in the presence of others because the bottom of your feet are exposed. To think, you could legitimately damage a relationship by such “sloven” bearing as crossing your legs! And sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you? FORGET it! I try to be as mindful of this as I can, and honestly I think I/we have largely ridden on the grace other cultures have towards Americans because, admittedly, western society is clueless by and large about such things and has little regard for sensitivity towards other cultures.
So, with this in mind, you can begin to paint the picture in your mind that I saw. The God of all creation, becoming totally humbled, got down on hands and knees at the feet of His creation, and began washing the most unclean part of their body.
You need some time to let sink in. Marinade in that for the rest of today if you have to before reading any more.
Once you have (and I really want you to dwell on it) we’ll carry on…
…so. We come to that most important question.
Why?
And the answer may frustrate you, because it’s one word and you probably already know what it is.
Love
He didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to get down and wash their feet. He could have merely instructed them to do it, and though they may have questioned it, they likely would have followed His word alone. Honestly, He’s omnipotent. He didn’t have to say or do any of that. Really, if you want to get onto the theological and philosophical turf, He really didn’t have to do any of it at all. Walking on Earth, teaching the disciples, dying on the cross; in my assessment, He could have simply nullified the power of sin and death with a word, a wave of his hand, the slightest whim of His mind. He presides over it all, doesn’t He? He created the universe and everything within it. Alas, that’s a great conversation, but for another time!
So in considering that, I want you to realize and experience the same and full impact of that that I felt, even more so if you may, because… it broke me. I sat outside the chapel as the women of our teams proceeded to wash these women’s feet with tears rolling down my face.
Here was the God of all creation, humbled, on hands and knees at the feet of His creation, washing the most unclean part of their body, out of love!
The most pure, the most genuine love you’ll EVER see!
And I realized that, though I knew this story well before now, I only ever picked up on part of the example. There was another part I never picked up on or considered!
Jesus says, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you do well, for so I am. If then, I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.”
Let’s paint this is black and white. If a master, who is greater than his servant, is serving his servant, he must truly, TRULY love that servant. If we are to do as Christ did for the disciples and, by virtue, US, and follow His example, then we should not merely wash each other’s feet but also do so out of love! When we serve, we should do so out of love!
I could say I always knew this and still technically be honest, but I can’t say I knew it and lived with it at the heart of my actions. And this was yet another had revelation for me. Since this World Race journey started of mind started I have besought in prayer that God would give me His eyes; His vision for people, that I could see the people in the world around me as He sees them, with grace and love. And each month He has grown me in that. When I landed in Serbia, the thought of even approaching someone to offer to pray for them was terrifying. Last month, every meal I ate at the food court was with a complete stranger, with me trying to get to know them and share the Gospel with them. My heart was being moved and reshaped by His love for me and for those around me. But love still wasn’t at the core of it. Other motives, whether of following the guidance of the Spirit/instruction of scripture or, to my shame to admit, the desire of recognition among peers, were in the driver’s seat, with love sitting in as copilot at best.
But this revelation… this was a wake-up call. One of my favorite passages of scripture and one of the most well-known is 1 Corinthians 13 (the ”love” chapter, as it is commonly referred to). And people can often recall the part about love being patient and kind etc., but I am drawn to the first three verses more often than not instead. To paraphrase, Paul here remarks that he could prophesy, speak in tongues, have faith that could move mountains, etc and do all sorts of great things, things that, as a Christian, are right for him to do… but if he doesn’t have love at the center of how actions he’s just like the empty sound of a clanging gong. Worse, he is nothing! Nothing he does profits him if he doesn’t do it out of love. NOTHING.
This is yet another MASSIVE perspective shift for me! Because now I am more keenly aware that, while I love to serve and give of myself, both on this mission field and at home, that there are an awful, painful, reprehensible amount of times where I give and serve out of the wrong place. Even doing something as simple as taking time to go out of my way to grab something on the other side of the room for my teammate I realize should be done out of love, not out of kindness alone. Does that sound a little extreme, to give such thought to such a simple act of service? Maybe, but then again, I don’t see washing someone’s feet as an overly strenuous act of service either. A hefty season of re-evaluation is ahead of me. From the thoughtful to the nearly effortless, all my acts of service and giving of gifts are under my scrutiny now.
I want to start giving, of my resources and time, both great and little, from a place of love like Jesus did for me; like He showed me, and showed us all.
