Jesus Knows

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

John 13:3-5

FOR SOME PEOPLE, amnesia is a scary reality. Imagine waking up one day not knowing who you are, where you are, or who the people around you are. In such a scenario, it’s impossible to know how to live your life. So much of what you do is based on an understanding of who you are. Even people who don’t have amnesia spend much of their lives trying to figure out who they are and why they were created.

In John 13, we see how Jesus’ identity was shaped by His relationship with the Father. Everything He did flowed out of His identity as the Son. Though we’re not divine, we are sons of God, and we, too, are meant to receive our identity from the Father. Just like Christ, we have come from God and therefore belong to God.

Once we understand our identity, we can know how we are to live. It has been said that knowledge is power. In a sense, the more you know, the more you can control people. However, in Jesus’ case, He served more because He knew more. For Jesus, knowledge was about humble service. Jesus knew who He was, where He came from, and where He was going. Jesus also knew that all power had been given to Him. But Jesus didn’t exert power over people; rather, He voluntarily put Himself in service to other people. The humility of God is incredible.

BOTTOM LINE

Truly knowing our identity and truly knowing our calling lead to humble service. How can you serve Jesus—and someone else—this week?

Moment of Strength: Philippians 2:1-11