John 13:3-5, 12-15

³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

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¹² When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus could have focused on Himself—His impending suffering, His disciples’ imminent desertion, His own needs in His final hours. Instead, He rose from the table, removed His outer garments, wrapped a towel around His waist, and knelt to wash His disciples’ dusty feet.

This act was shocking in its cultural context. Foot washing was a task for the lowest servant, not for a teacher or master. By taking on this humble role, Jesus radically redefined leadership. “I have set you an example,” He told His followers, “that you should do as I have done for you.” True greatness, Jesus demonstrated, is found in service to others.

In this moment, Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples about servant leadership—He embodied it. He showed them that authority is meant to be used not for self-promotion but for lifting others up. Power is meant to serve, not to dominate. The greatest in God’s kingdom are those who serve the least.

This upside-down understanding of leadership challenges our natural desire for recognition, comfort, and authority. It invites us to consider: What basins need filling in our communities? Whose feet need washing? What humble tasks are we avoiding that might bring life to others?

For those serving in challenging contexts, Jesus’s example offers both validation and inspiration. When the path of service becomes difficult, when resources are scarce, when recognition is lacking—the image of Jesus with towel and basin reminds us that we are following in the footsteps of our Lord.

“The areas we visit are very far, and the roads are dangerous… We go through all that when we visit the families to check on them and see their situation and how they are holding up. They live in extremely difficult conditions.” – Pastor Roy Salada

Pastor Roy serves in remote mountain communities near General Santos in the Philippines. Like Jesus who set aside comfort to serve His disciples, Pastor Roy regularly traverses treacherous terrain to reach families living in poverty. He doesn’t wait for them to come to him—he goes to them, regardless of the personal cost.

“They survive by relying on their meager income working the fields,” Pastor Roy explains. “Many of them hardly go down to the city or have been there. They just live up the mountains with their congregation. I have really witnessed the kind of life they live.”

Pastor Roy’s ministry exemplifies what it means to take up the towel and basin. The difficult journey to reach these communities would be reason enough for many to stay home. Yet he repeatedly makes this journey because he understands that servant leadership means going where others won’t go, doing what others won’t do.

For many pastors like Roy, ICM’s training programs provide essential support. As Pastor Ronelcito from Tacloban shares, “The topics are very practical and helpful. They seem simple when you hear the title, but as we go through the details, we get something out of it.” These pastors’ commitment to serving others despite challenges reminds us of Jesus’s example of humble service.

“May you continue to help us pastors in our ministries and the ultra-poor families,” Pastor Ronelcito adds. “Rest assured that your help is being delivered to them and we will continue to do our best to serve them.”

Like Jesus who knelt to wash feet, these pastors demonstrate that true leadership isn’t about position or power—it’s about service. They show us that the path to transformation often begins with someone willing to journey across difficult terrain, both literal and figurative, to meet others at their point of need.

• In what ways has Jesus’s example of washing His disciples’ feet challenged your understanding of leadership and service?
• Where in your life might God be calling you to “take up the basin and towel”? Is there a difficult journey—literal or figurative—that you’ve been hesitant to make for the sake of serving others?
• Consider the example of pastors like Roy and Ronelcito. What resources or support might help you serve more effectively in your own context? Ask God to provide what you need.

Lord Jesus, on the night You were betrayed, You showed us the true meaning of leadership by taking up a towel and basin. Thank You for this powerful demonstration of humble service. Forgive me for the times I’ve sought position and recognition rather than opportunities to serve others.

I’m moved by the examples of those who travel difficult paths to reach people in need. Give me that same courage and commitment to go where You call me, regardless of personal cost or comfort. Help me see the needs around me through Your eyes and respond with servant hands.

I pray for all who serve in challenging contexts around the world. For those facing physical hardships, navigating obstacles, and ministering in difficult circumstances—strengthen their resolve, protect their journeys, and multiply the impact of their service.

Equip me, Lord, as You equip all Your servants. Show me what tools and resources I need to serve effectively in my own context. And remind me daily that true greatness in Your kingdom is measured not by what I gain but by what I give away in Your name. Amen.