In Part 2 we learned about receiving Christ’s water for ourselves. Today, we’ll learn how to give it away to others.

Christ used water to show His disciples how to love. Then, He commanded them to do likewise. What was He revealing to them?  How can we practically apply what He did?  With this, we’ll conclude our “Functioning in Love” teaching series.  

The example He set

The night before He suffered, Christ went around the room to each of His disciples and washed their feet:

So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him…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. – John 13:4-5,12 

He did this to set an example:

“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.” – John 13:14-15  

Then, just minutes later, He have gave them a new commandment – to love others as He had just done for them: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” – John 13:34.  He issued the same command to them later in the Kidron Valley.

The new commandment 

A command is “a prescribed rule or authoritative charge”. His commands are Kingdom orders. His teachings are Kingdom principles. He prioritizes His orders over His principles.  Christ gave many teachings, yet very few orders.  Let’s summarize His command to us:

• He issued it before Calvary.  Before He ascended, He charged His people to deliver it to every new believer (Matthew 28:20).
• It is not a “law” to keep to get right with God. It is a charge to those already right with Him.
• It is not “love your neighbor as yourself” or simply “love one another”.  It is a higher standard altogether.
• The context is “one another”. It is guidance on how His own treat each other. 
• Christ gives us the ability we need to walk in it (His supply).

Was He commanding us to love people by washing their feet?  If so, people with feet phobias could never fulfill it and the world would be full of disgruntled disciples.

He was actually showing how to partner with His Spirit (living water) to love others in a very practical way. He revealed to them who & how to love.

Who to love 

In this one act He showed love on five parallel levels. Each level was a unique people group with unique needs.

Level 1: Meeting outward needs  

By removing physical dirt, He showed love was meeting people’s physical needs with action. In those days people wore sandals.  Jesus’ disciples had tracked dirt into the house.  He saw it. Being mindful of the house owner and their outward need, He removed the dirt with water.  He used what He had available – water, a basin, & a towel.
At this level, He set an example for us to take care of those inside His spiritual House who had physical needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc.).

Level 2 – Leaders loving teams

The Son of God, who had made man from dirt had now washed it off His follower’s feet.  One day these men would be leading others.  After washing their feet, He told them, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”  He showed that heads of businesses, ministries, programs, projects, or teams are to be at their people’s feet addressing their needs. His example was about leading with humility and true Kingdom authority – seeking to serving others not seeking to be served. 
At this level, He set an example for how leaders are to love their teams through servant leadership. 

Level 3 – Husbands loving wives 

Christ declared His disciples clean and forgiven (except for Judas) before the Cross: “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you” – John 13:10. 

How could He do this?  Because Christ dwelled in eternity and time simultaneously. He saw their future in His present and revealed it to them.  When we remove time from that night (as He did), Christ was in the future as a Husband washing His Bride’s (Church’s) feet.

He was showing Kingdom husbands how to love their wives.  They were not to sit around in their houses demanding and forcing their wives to satisfy all their wants.  Rather, as Christ did, the husband was to humble himself before his bride and wash her feet. This meant her emotional, physical, provisional, relational, & intimacy needs.  Christ took initiative.  He didn’t wait for His bride to.  All were men in the house that night.  He directly addressed egotism and selfishness what being head of the house really looked like.  This is a mystery Paul also received:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, – Eph 5:25-27  

Husbands – When you give up your flesh (self) for your wife, she will happily give up hers to you!  So, it becomes a win for you too my friend!! Lol…

At this level, Christ set an example for how a husband is to care for his wife just as he does for himself.

Level 4 – Meeting hidden needs 

While His physical eyes saw dirt, His spiritual eyes saw a deeper need: He said to them, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean…”- John 13:10a.  

By this statement He indicated that the water was not just to remove dirt from the feet, but also to remove it from their hearts.  As they walked on earth, like their sandals their hearts had also collected dirt.  As they brought their feet out into the open, He went to where they were and washed them.  Likewise, we all collect dirt as we walk throughout this world. If we bring it out in the open to Him, He will come to us exactly where we are with loving grace, not condemning appall. Then, with living water in His hands He will wash our hearts for us.  Times of refreshing will come and we can continue walking to where He wants to take us.

His example is not about how we should look for dirt in people and try to purify them (that’s between them & Jesus).  On the contrary, He wants us the spiritual ability to see genuine needs people have hidden in their hearts (e.g. direction, confirmation, clarity, inner healing, etc.).  The Lord connects love and spiritual abilities together:

Let love be your highest goal! And you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the ability to prophesy.” – 1 Corinthians 14:1

As noted above, the Spirit of Christ gives us the ability to prophecy to specifically see hidden needs:

“..As they listen, their secret thoughts will be revealed…”– 1 Corinthians 14:25 

Anything the Spirit reveals to us will always edify the other person.  It will never bring condemnation or shame to them (1 Corinthians 14:3).  Any believer can prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:31).  Prophesying is best done in smaller settings or with the individual in private.  In this way, we’re being respectful to the person and avoiding a public hype show.

At this level, He set an example for how to see and meet people’s hidden needs by the Holy Spirit.

Level 5 – Loving our enemies

We now arrive at the highest level of His example – to wash the feet of our enemies.  Christ washed the feet of close friends He knew would soon reject Him:

• He washed Judas’ feet who initiated His arrest & torture.
• He washed Peter’s feet who would later deny & curse Him in a courtyard.

This would not have been obvious in the moment.  But later when His disciples remembered that night I am certain this revelation truth would have came to them.

Using water, Christ testified that their weaknesses were not stronger than His love.

If we live long enough, you and I will get hurt by close friends & people. Perhaps someone is coming to your mind now. Regardless of who it is, Christ wants to give you His water (Spirit) to wash their feet also. This does not mean we keep subjecting ourselves to their pain repeatedly (that would be foolishness).  Rather, while in pain, we grab the water basin and towel and begin blessing them.  This is not weakness, but strength and power exemplified in you. In the flesh, this is impossible. But in the Spirit of grace, it is possible.
To love our enemies is to see and meet their needs.  If they are hungry, we feed them. If they are cold, we warm them.  If they need prayer, we ask God to bless them.  If they have dirt on their feet, we help wash it off. What are your enemies needs?  How can you help meet them?

At this level, He showed us how to love those that hurt us by addressing their needs also.

How to love 

Jesus’ example showed us who to love and also how to love. We’ll explore this then conclude.

With compassion – Seeing and meeting needs can be done in pride or for selfish motives. To truly bridge His love to others, we must have compassion as He did (John 3:17).

Compassion seeks to know and feel the needs of others.  Jesus felt the dirt from their feet on His hands as He removed it with water.  The cross exemplified His compassion.  He willingly felt our sin with His hands while they were being pierced to remove it.

Compassion is attentive. Jesus noticed the dirt on their feet because He was attentive and thoughtful of others.  When we learn to do likewise, clues come to us on how to show love most effectively.

Compassion is being open.  Jesus removed His outer robe before He washed their feet. He revealed that an open heart causes an open hand. In practical terms, this means opening up our homes, wallets, words, time, talent, & calendars to others. If our heart is open to Christ but closed to His people, His love will become inactive within us.  But the more open we are to our brother’s needs the more “God’s love is brought to fullness inside us” (1 John 4:12). 

2) With wisdom and boundaries 

Jesus’ example teaches us to love with wisdom.  First, He planned the washing event. Then, He took inventory of what He had available (as additional means) to help: a basin, water, a towel, His physical ability, & His time. He also set limits on what resources He would not use.  For example, He did not use His robe as a towel or give up more hours of His time washing their feet. He showed the importance of creating boundaries and limits with our resources when loving others.

Without setting limits we can give too much of our time, finances, energy, or abilities to others.  In the long-run this will create an imbalanced & stress-filled life.  Our minds, bodies, relationships, finances, marriages, & health will suffer.  If limits are never set, this will lead to catastrophic failures later.  This is not the will of the Lord for us, friends.

To love with wisdom means sacrificing self, not our self-care, marriages, or families in the process.   

Concluding Call to Action  

We are being called to resurrect Christ’s command to “love others as He loved”.  From people with physical or hidden needs, to leaders, husbands, and even our enemies, the call is to love with His Spirit, compassion, & wisdom. When we do, lives get changed.  Ours included.