“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
“You need to love yourself before you can love others.” There is no mantra more destructive to Christian love than this. It is self-centered, self-absorbed, self-seeking, and self-serving. It is anything but love, because love is not selfish, but self-less-ness. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). This necessitates self-denial, which is fundamental to following Jesus (Mark 8:34). In the end, self-love is self-refuting. It is a contradiction in terms. 

When Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself ” (Matthew 22:39), He wasn’t advocating for self-love. He was redirecting our self-serving hearts toward serving others. Such is the love of God. The persons of the Trinity love one another, not themselves. And this love overflows toward us. The Father sent the Son, not to be served, but to serve. Jesus even stoops so low as to wash our filthy feet. And our Lord has also called us to love one another by serving one another. How might you wash another’s feet this week? 



Scripture Focus

Mark 10:35-45; John 13:1-17

Insight

“Love is the cement of human society. Wherever love reigns, there will be mutual service and submission.” (Thomas Manton, 1620-1677)

Bible In A Year

  • Deuteronomy 15-16
  • Psalm 87
  • Acts 10

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