The Royal Order of the Towel

On my desk is a trophy for which I am grateful. It was given to me when I was inducted into the Fellowship of Christians National Hall of Champions. It is not the typical trophy. The 3-D brass figure depicts Jesus washing one of the disciples’ feet. The inscription on the base reads: “… Jesus… If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9: 38) There is a lesson for life.

To be the servant of Jesus it is essential to understand what that means. It means you change your way of thinking from a “me” centered mentality to a “He” centered way of thinking. It is not about me, it is about Him. Your life must become Christocentric. 

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.”    (Matthew 10:24)                                                                       

To be a servant of Jesus one must be resolute. That is, to determine to be a servant and be resolute in doing it. A good servant is not a herky-jerky, hot or cold one, but a consistently full time resolute servant. A secondary “How may I serve you,” is replaced by a “How may I serve Him” by what I say or do in this situation.

To be a good servant of the Lord you must be a true disciple, that is a learner. It is simple, do what He says. To do so you must know. To know you must study His word.

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!” James 1:22 (MSG)

To be a good servant of the Lord bloom where you are planted. That means to start serving others right around you now. Let them see Jesus in you.

In the “class” where Jesus taught His followers by using an in class example of washing others dirty feet, He did not say do what I have done, that is wash others feet. He said do as I have done, that is humble yourself in whatever way possible and serve others. To simply ceremoniously wash someone’s feet is to miss the message.

As further evidence this is the meaning of what He was teaching He said, “What I am doing you do not understand now….” They understood He was washing feet, but they did not understand He was teaching humility and service to others. Then came the maximum example of humility” 

“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”  (Philippians 2: 8)

In a fine restaurant waiters often have a towel draped on their arm indicating they are there to serve. Using that imagery of a servant joining the “Royal Order of the Towel.”