(Maundy Thursday Reflection)

There’s something in John 13 that struck me differently this time as I was going through a Holy Week devotional on YouVersion.

It’s a detail I’ve read many times before—but this time, it stopped me.

John tells us that Jesus knew exactly who He was.

He knew He had come from God.
He knew He was returning to God.
He knew that all authority had been placed in His hands.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power… and that he had come from God and was returning to God.”
John 13:3 (NIV)

Think about that for a moment.

Jesus had all power.

And how did He choose to use it?

Not to prove Himself.
Not to demand loyalty.
Not to overthrow Rome.

He picked up a towel.

“So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.”
John 13:4 (NIV)

And then He did something almost unthinkable.

He washed His disciples’ feet.

Feet that were dirty from walking dusty roads.
Feet that, in that culture, were cleaned by the lowest servant in the household.

And He washed all of their feet.

Why?

Jesus tells us plainly:

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
John 13:15 (NIV)

This is how the Kingdom of God works.

This is how love triumphs over evil.

Not through force.
Not through status.
Not through power as the world defines it.

Through humility.
Through service.
Through putting others ahead of ourselves.

It’s simple.

But it’s not easy.

If I’m honest, this kind of life feels completely countercultural—and far outside my comfort zone. I don’t naturally reach for the towel. I reach for control, for efficiency, for outcomes.

But Jesus shows us a different way.

A better way.

A harder way.

And a way that actually changes the world.

He closes this moment with both a command and a promise:

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
John 13:17 (NIV)

So today, my prayer is simple:

That I would notice opportunities to serve.
That I would choose the lower place.
That I would pick up the towel.

I can only imagine how much more impactful the Church would be in the world today
if this is what it was known for—not for what it demands—
but for how it serves…

the way Jesus meant for it to be.

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Go Deeper

Why This Kind of Love Changes Everything

What Jesus did that night wasn’t just an act of kindness.

It was a redefinition of power.

In a world that equates power with control, visibility, and status, Jesus shows us that true power looks like something entirely different:

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”
Matthew 20:26 (NIV)

This isn’t weakness.

It’s strength, willingly laid down for the sake of others.

And it’s not just something Jesus modeled—it’s something He commands:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34 (NIV)

That’s the heart of Maundy Thursday.

The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum—meaning command.

Love like this.

Serve like this.

Live like this.

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A Question to Sit With

Where might God be inviting me to pick up the towel this week?

Not in a grand, visible way.

But in a quiet, intentional act of service that puts someone else ahead of myself.