Adults have a lot to learn from children as well as the other way round. One of the most obvious things is that we can easily make things too complicated. In many situations simply doing what needs to be done is quite obvious and not too difficult. This is what happened in the account recorded in John chapter 13 of Jesus’ actions at the special meal he had with his followers the night before his arrest, trial and subsequent crucifixion. This is what happened:
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.
. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus replied, ‘You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ 8 ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ 9 ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’10 Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’
11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.12 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. 13 ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Wealthy citizens would have employed a servant to wash people’s feet prior to dinner at such an event. This was out of the question here. None of the disciples would have considered offering because it was a task for those of lower social status. Jesus taught them a lesson that his followers were challenged to obey. Do what needs to be done –don’t look for praise or for someone else to do it – if you can, then do – it can really be that simple. It was a pattern that the Early Christian Church would follow. Sociologist Rodney Stark in his excellent book The Rise of Christianity described how these Christians operated in the time of the plague in the Roman Empire in AD250 where the death rate was about 5,000 per day in a much smaller total population than today.
The small Christian community less than two per cent of the total responded magnificently to the challenge before them. A second plague in AD 260 saw a similar response. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, reported: “Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another.
Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy. … Many, in nursing and curing others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead.” (Stark, pp. 76-94) What was at the heart of their vision for their communities? It was because of their strong sense of community, their refusal to submit to despair, their commitments to care for each other and their robust hope in the face of death. In other words, through their willingness to embrace death, they found life.
In essence, they trusted God to take care of the bigger picture. They acted wisely together to serve their communities – doing the simple things well. Their lived convictions and values were attractive to others. Our situation in some respects is different – not least an excellent health service and system of communications. However, in other respects it is no different, in being willing to serve others where we can in practical ways. In this context today, Jesus speaks to us too: Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Brian Talbot