For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
— John 13:15 —
Mykola Leliovskyi: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine
One of the most shared memes last year in the Russian-speaking world was a side-by-side comparison. On one side, the kneeling Christ washing the apostles’ feet; on the other side, the lavishly dressed Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church extending a hand from his throne to a man kissing his ring. The caption says, “Can you feel the difference?” We should reflect Christ’s own sacrificial love as we fulfill His law by loving one another even as Christ loved us. While Evangelicals are rightly appalled by such perversions of the biblical picture, we should ask ourselves whether we are ready and willing to follow the example that our Lord set. While the Son of Man came to serve, most of us, in all sincerity, would prefer to be served. Although Jesus existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God as a thing to be grasped and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death. We, on the other hand, are naturally inclined to vehemently grasp at every accolade, taking every opportunity available to be exalted. But Christians should never be thus characterized. Instead, we should reflect Christ’s own sacrificial love as we fulfill His law by loving one another even as Christ loved us. As a young seminary graduate entering the ministry, this has been (and continues to be) a painful but wonderful lesson to learn. We must not neglect our Savior’s example. And we will be grateful in the end if we don’t. For, as we humble ourselves to serve others for their benefit and for God’s glory, we will find, in the end, that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.
Connect with TMAI on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and increase our schools’ reach by sharing our content with your family and friends.
