Where does power come from?

Why do some people crave power? More specifically, why do some people crave the freedoms and abilities that come with power? Why do some people use their power to do or say whatever they feel like at a given time? What does it mean to have power?

Big businesses obtain financial power through our needs, wants, interests and desires, and our eventual dollars spent as consumers. Various government parties and agencies receive power through elections by us as voters, or in some parts of the world, take it by force as dictators.

Hollywood provides us with films that portray men and women who have superpowers. We wonder what life would be like, to be a superhero? What would it be like to have an advantage over the average human being, able to overcome the toils of our humanity?

How did Jesus obtain power?

In John 13, we discover some insights into His power, and specifically how and when He used that power.

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.” (13:1-2)

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (13:3-5)

Pretty straightforward right? That is until we get to that semi-colon before verse four. All of a sudden, it becomes somewhat of a mystery. Why would John comment on the “power” that Jesus possessed before describing the selfless act of washing His disciples’ feet?

Shouldn’t the story go the other way? Shouldn’t it state that “because Jesus had His Father’s power, the disciples got up and all took turns washing Jesus’ feet“? Isn’t that how a person of Jesus’ status and authority should be treated? But that’s not what happened.

Foot-washing changes everything.

Have you ever washed someone’s feet? For most of my life, I had never really thought much about John 13. I had never given much thought to washing anybody’s feet other than my own. My church background and ministry service have been predominantly within the Evangelical Baptist fellowship of churches, where the practice of foot-washing isn’t included as part of the communion ordinance.

Then my eyes were opened when my church tradition shifted in accepting a youth pastor position within the Grace Brethren movement (now Charis Fellowship). It was a very unique experience for a Baptist to walk into, but I had decided to keep an open mind. And it ended up becoming a formative component of my understanding of servant leadership.

I can’t state that engaging in foot-washing is a theologically essential or mandated ordinance, but it is powerful! It set the stage for forgiveness from offences, reconciliation of conflicts, devotion to the Body, and the combined embracing of corporate and personal humility. Now that I’m back in the Evangelical Baptist tradition, on occasion, it stirs in me as something I’m missing.

Jesus is the source of power.

Both the account and the practice of foot-washing help us understand where power is truly found. Too often we follow the world’s example on where our power lies and how it’s obtained. It’s so easy to get caught up in convincing people of our importance or status (code-words for power), but it doesn’t have the impact we think it will. It doesn’t last. It’s an ineffective way to lead and influence people.

Instead, may we remember that the power lies in Christ alone! May we remind each other to focus on His example of displaying power on this earth. In His humility, Jesus shows us that true power is revealed through serving others.

In turn, He calls us to choose these types of selfless acts which display our love for Him and for other, which displays His power. May we follow Him in washing feet, metaphorically, and perhaps even literally.