Irresistible FaithExemplo

 As Jesus was about to send his disciples out to love the world, what did he do first? He gathered them together to be with him and fed them a meal. Then he showed them the full extent of his love by getting down on his knees and washing their feet. Only after this did Jesus, the King who became a servant to his servants, tell them that they, too, should wash one another’s feet (John 13:1–17). Having been loved by him, they could now love others. Having spent time with Jesus—not only for this meal but for three solid years—they could now be like him.

Because Jesus is this kind of friend to us—“washing our feet” from every direction, every day of our lives—we now have the resources to become, over time, better human beings. The closer we grow to Jesus, the less dominated by sin we will be. And the less we are dominated by sin, the more like Jesus we will become. We will no longer be dormant but growing, healthy, life-giving, fruit-bearing trees that feed and nourish the world.

We ask, “What are we to do?” and we find that we participate in becoming like Jesus as we invest ourselves in being with Jesus. We begin to assume his likeness not by scurrying about getting busy for Jesus as Martha did, but by sitting at his feet as Mary did (Luke 10:38–42).

“But how do we sit at Jesus’ feet? How do we draw near to him and be with him that we may become like him?” the pragmatist in us still asks.

To these questions, Jesus says we must seek first the kingdom of God. When we do, “all these things”—including Christlike character—will be added to us. We seek his kingdom chiefly through the means of abiding in Christ and his Word.