Listen to today’s devo!

So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. (John 13:4)

Expanded Passage: John 13:2-5

Did you know that our feet can contain up to 10 million bacteria per square centimeter, which is more than any other body part? That each foot has approximately 125,000 sweat glands, producing up to a half pint of sweat each day? That in Jesus’ time, people walked on unpaved roads that not only were dirty and dusty but with the lack of sewer systems sewage ran into the roads?

All of this makes not only what Jesus did, but when he did it, remarkable. Scripture tells us that he washed his disciples’ feet neither before nor after the meal, but in the middle of it!

Scripture also tells us this happened when Jesus knew that “the hour had come” (v. 1)—that the time of his crucifixion was drawing nigh. It wasn’t especially convenient, period, let alone in the middle of his last meal with his disciples. That’s what makes the conjunction “so” in verse 4 especially noteworthy. Jesus got up to wash his disciples’ feet, despite what appeared to be poor timing, in obedience to what his Father had revealed to him and called him to do in the moment.

Acts of service often entail interruptions. They may be unpleasant, too, physically and/or otherwise. Nevertheless, we are to follow Jesus’ example. Rather than asking, “Why now?” and delaying action, we should respond to the Spirit’s leading whatever, wherever, and whenever needed.

Allow God’s prompting to supersede the inconvenient “hows” and “whens” of service.

Laurie Dashnau is professor of English and writing, and director of the writing center at Houghton University (NY). She regularly teaches Narrative and Personal Essay, and Writing about Spiritual Experience.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.