Pick Up a Towel: Why Christians Serve, from Jesus Washing Feet in John 13

Almost every Christian agrees that serving is a good idea. So why do so few of us actually do it? Serving is who you become when you belong to Jesus, whether or not you have spare time. In John 13, the King of the universe picks up a towel and tells you to do the same.

Why is serving part of who you are as a Christian?

Serving is giving your time, gifts, and effort for others the way Jesus did, and it is your new identity in Christ. When you are born again, you don't just get a few new behaviors. Your whole nature shifts toward the things of God.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:15

By nature we are selfish, proud, and stingy. When that nature meets Jesus, everything changes. Where you were stingy, God makes you generous. Where you were proud, He makes you humble. Where you were self-centered, He leads you into the life of a servant.

Yet there's a gap. Pastor Adrian Cruz cited a nationwide statistic that about 80 percent of church volunteering and giving comes from about 20 percent of the people. Nearly everyone in the room raised a hand to say serving is a good idea. That shows a disconnect between what we believe and how we behave.

Serving has set Christians apart for centuries. Believers cared for the sick during plagues when others fled. In the Roman Empire, they took in abandoned babies and raised them as their own. Hospitals grew out of Christians caring for the sick. As Pastor Adrian said, "We look most like Christ when we serve."

Pastor Adrian's second point was that serving is our response: to God's goodness, to Christ's example, and to the gifts He has given us. Paul urges us, "in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true and proper worship" (Romans 12:1).

What does Jesus washing feet teach about serving?

It shows that serving is often humble, unseen, and unglamorous, and Jesus did it anyway. He knew the Father had put all things under His power. Then He got up from the meal, wrapped a towel around His waist, and washed His disciples' feet.

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

John 13:14 to 15

Serving can stink, just like feet. You might not get applause for picking up trash or end up on the church Instagram. Anybody can serve where there's a title or a reward. Doing a task with a reward in mind is something else. Real serving gives without needing credit.

Pastor Adrian named an honest problem: we all want to be a servant until we're treated like one. Then someone doesn't say thank you, or walks past while you hold the door. His challenge was simple: "Instead of picking up titles, we pick up towels."

Why does God give you spiritual gifts?

God gives you gifts so you can serve others and advance His kingdom. They were never meant to build your influence, your wealth, or your name.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10

A gift is only useful when you use it. Use your voice to sing, your smile to greet, or your hands to build. Pastor Adrian believes there's no better place to use your gifts than in the church you faithfully attend.

How do you keep serving from becoming self-serving?

Remember that serving is about we, the body of Christ, not me. Even serving can turn into a quest for followers, applause, or the perfect photo. The disciples fought over who would sit closest to Jesus. Jesus flipped their pecking order upside down.

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:43 to 45

Pastor Adrian shared a line worth remembering: if you're too big to wash feet, you're too small to lead.

For example, both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive water from the Jordan River. Galilee is full of life because water also flows out of it. The Dead Sea only receives. Some believers receive sermon after sermon and never give back. A kingdom contributor is someone who lets what God pours in flow out to others. That's the calling for every believer.

Does serving really make a difference?

Yes, more than you realize. Many people are in church today because a faithful volunteer loved them. Pastor Adrian remembers his Sunday school teacher, Miss Pat, who taught him from elementary school into middle school.

For example, he told the story of David Nasser, who came to Texas as a refugee from Iran. His father's new restaurant was overwhelmed. Then a group of about ten men started waiting tables and washing dishes, every day for two weeks. They were pastors from a local church. When a classmate later invited David to youth group, his Muslim father said yes because of those men. David's family came to faith. Serving opened the door to the gospel.

Serving changes you, too. Richard Foster wrote in Celebration of Discipline that serving is one of the best ways to put pride to death and grow humility. And it's often where you find your purpose. Pastor Adrian found his calling serving youth as a teenager and ushering at age ten. Alongside Foster's book, he recommended Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck and Developing a Servant's Heart by Charles Stanley.

At Adopt a Block in Aurora, a group of Calvary volunteers showed up to pull weeds. While they were there, they met a man in a hard season, and he gave his life to Jesus on the spot. God had a bigger plan than weeding.

Common questions

Why should Christians serve?

Christians serve because serving is part of their new identity in Christ. They serve in response to God's goodness, to follow Jesus' example, and to use the gifts God gave them. Jesus said He came not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45).

What does Jesus washing the disciples' feet mean?

In John 13, Jesus did the job of the lowest servant to show His followers how to treat one another. He told them to wash one another's feet and follow His example. It means no task is beneath a follower of Jesus.

How do I find my spiritual gift?

Start by serving. First Peter 4:10 says every believer has received a gift to serve others. As you try different ways of serving in your church, you'll discover where your passion meets God's purpose.

Can serving be selfish?

Yes. Serving becomes self-serving when you're after recognition, influence, or applause. Pastor Adrian Cruz teaches that real serving is about the body of Christ and God's glory, not your own name.