Having loved his own who were in the world, he (Jesus) now showed them the full extent of his love. John 13:1 NIV
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 13:15-17 NIV
Jesus had spent three years showing His disciples how to love and live. It was far beyond anything they could imagine, and they failed their lessons many times. But Jesus kept loving them and teaching them. They argued over who was greatest when the only genuinely great one was serving them. They wanted to call down fire on their enemies when Jesus was preaching a message of forgiveness and love. Though they failed in public and private ways, He assured them He was not ashamed to call them friends.
On the night He was leaving, the night that He would be forsaken and betrayed by all of His disciples, not just Peter, He was not unaware of all that would happen. He knew they would drop their courage and their commitments made on brighter days. They would flee. He knew that a simple young girl would be enough for Peter’s brave heart to crumble and prompt harsh denials. He knew as He hung on the cross for their sins and the sins of the entire world, He would be alone. His closest friends would not be there. He knew they would believe it was all over and hide until they found a bit of safety. Then they would return to fishing, or wherever they were when He found them.
But He loved them. That’s the way of Jesus. He loved them for these three years, as shaped and tainted by the world as they were, and now He showed them the full extent of His love. He took the role of a servant, serving them with a towel and basin. He honored them by doing the dirty work no one had offered for Him. He went to the garden, the trial, and the cross and suffered for them. Before He washed their hearts with His blood, He washed their feet with His soon-to-be-nailed hands.
Jesus knew the full extent of their weakness, yet He chose to show them the full extent of His love sacrificially and willingly. He gave them everything when they deserved nothing. Except for Judas, they were all going to become godly men of stature eventually, but He showed them the full extent of His love NOW – before Judas rushed to betray Him, and before any of them had a chance to get it right. When they got it right, He didn’t love them any more than before. He loved them perfectly from start. They didn’t eventually love like Jesus to BE blessed, they did because they WERE blessed. Oh, Jesus. Your way is the way of blessing. Serving, honoring, suffering – LOVING like You love me.
- Jesus, may I never lose the wonder of Your love for me. May I see the full extent of another’s weakness and love him/her completely before they get it right, as You have loved me.