Hey sis,
I see your struggle and can totally relate! We all are searching for honor and significance in this world, whether we realize it or not. In fact, this often motivates many of our decisions…how we dress, the things we post online, who we befriend, the jobs we pursue, even our good deeds. But without a proper understanding of biblical honor and significance, our hearts will never be satisfied. Let’s not shame ourselves for our improper and sinful motives, lovely ladies, but rather run to the Cross and find the joy, mercy and purpose that we crave.
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” — C.S. Lewis
Jesus desired to show honor to His disciples by washing their feet, serving them in a very sacrificial way, but Peter was not at first willing to receive this act of humility. Luke 13: 5-8: Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.
How often do we refuse the lavish grace of God because we deem ourselves unworthy? When we close ourselves off from Christ’s love, grace, and mercy, our hearts do not find the satisfaction we were created for, and as Lewis noted above, we look for this satisfaction in worldly things. God has put eternity in our hearts, and we long for significance and honor (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Finding our identity in God as His daughters is the only means of true satisfaction!
I am a firm believer that our refusal to accept God’s Grace in our daily lives leads us to the many sinful thoughts, desires, and actions we all battle. It is GRACE that leads us to repentance, not lashing ourselves repeatedly in our minds for every wrongdoing. Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”This daily pursuit by our Lord and Lover can take many forms – an offer for dinner, a gift from a friend, a gentleman opening a door, a much-needed day off, etc. Have we in our pride refused these gifts from God? James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Sister, perhaps you do not have a relationship with Christ? If so, you are refusing His sacrifice of Grace on the Cross, the gift of eternal life and relationship with Him. You have nothing to lose, but the fear of death and eternal punishment!
Returning back to our passage in Luke, we see in vs. 14-17: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Just as we have received this grace, honor, and humble service and sacrifice from our Lord, we are called to offer it to others.
God does not show favor, as we see in James 2: 1-6: My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man.”
True religion is showing honor to the weak, vulnerable, and oppressed. We are no better, ladies!Offer that cup of cold water from a sincere and generous heart. Wash the feet of the helpless and hurting. We might all do well to remember that ‘our neighbor’ is often no further than the roommate, friend, spouse, or difficult family member we often try to avoid. We must come to the Well of Grace and fill our souls, so that Living Waters will pour from our lives into those who are in deep need.
Running to Grace,
Ruth