It’s Much More than Being Nice

A very long day, Father. There have been some great challenges, but we leave them in Your more than capable hands. All praise to You, Sovereign God!

John 13:4-17 (<<click here to read the passage)

Being nice to one another is not just something that I stress regularly to the elementary kids who ride my bus. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” I say it, but like so many other sayings of like nature, kids who say nasty things are going to say nasty things.

Unfortunately, it is a lesson many adults have never learned either. As I sit and type, I can readily think of several whom I have heard with my own ears, lash out with their mouths thinking only of themselves and not how it hurts those who hear them.

Being nice to each other keeps things going much more smoothly in our lives but is that what Jesus was trying to communicate to His disciples in verses 4-5 when He took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin? It’s much more than being “nice”.

We all pretty much realize that people who hurt other people with the words they say have greater problems than the inability to control their tongues – it is a heart issue. It is not an issue of the body but the soul. And often it is something that can only be brought under control with God’s help.

Jesus’ message of service to His disciples was far more than an outward showing of humility. He was pointing them to a dramatic change of heart and soul.

How many times had they argued over who was the greatest in the Kingdom? Matthew 18:1-4, Mark 9:33-37, and Luke 9:46-48 tell us that it was an issue with them, and Jesus set them straight…but they still hadn’t learned that lesson. The greatest were not the ones who were top-of-the-hill in God’s Kingdom but anyone who becomes as humble as a little child… Matthew 18:4 NLT

He also clearly stated at the end of Luke 9:48,

“Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” NLT

The Ultimate Servant was pointing the way for them…and we would do well to follow, too.

Lord Jesus, we, like Your disciples, are not the speediest in taking up Your decrees. We are slow of heart. We plead that You would soften our hearts, to see as You see, to feel as You feel. May our tongues be stilled, if down in the depths of our heart, soul, and mind we have nothing nice to say. Amen.

Aug 30^th, 2021, Mon, 7:32 pm