Exposed!

John 13:3-4

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

My son struggled with a cold one evening. He sneezed, cried, and demanded attention throughout the night. The next morning, I struggled to get him prepared for school. He was tired, I was exhausted, and we both had somewhere to be. Eventually we loaded the car and headed to our first stop.

We arrive at a stoplight and I glance over my right shoulder to check on him. He was sitting feebly in his car seat with tears welled up in his eyes. His face was covered in mucus.  He had sneezed and then tried to wipe his nose with his hands, rubbing mucus all over his face while I wasn’t looking.

I looked feverishly for a napkin, tissue, or some sort of soft material, to wipe his nose. Nothing. In desperation to clean my son up, I removed my shirt, wrapped a portion of the shirt around my hand, and proceeded to clean his face and nose. I wasn’t worried about who was looking into my car – my concern was cleaning my son’s face.

It was just enough to bring somewhat of a grin to my son’s face. Here was his dad in traffic half naked and doing anything to clean him up and make him smile.

Reaching back to the moment Jesus was with his disciples at the last supper is a great correlation. Before Jesus served them supper, He removed his outer garment, placed a towel around his waist and washed their feet. This was His ultimate act of service before the cross. He removed his garments, washed their feet, and then dried them with the towel he was wearing.

Before Jesus went to the cross, the bible says they removed his clothes leaving him exposed before the onlookers. But in that exposed state He was more concerned with the sins of humanity than his physical appearance.

In 1 John 1:9 we learn that “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Jesus wants to clean you up. He sees your tears and the mess that you are covered in – let Him cleanse you and place a smile back on your face. He has exposed himself for you and his main concern is you.