Keller: Come to serve, not to be served

Published 12:01 am Saturday, April 6, 2019

Eight years ago one Saturday night, as I was preparing to leave for a speaking engagement at a drug treatment center, I asked Jeanne to get a big bag.

I had gathered a pitcher, a basin and two towels and proceeded to put them in the bag.

“What are you going to do with that?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” I answered, “but if the opportunity presents itself, they might come in handy.”

The 21 men I met for the first time were all battling drug addiction. I introduced Jeanne and myself and then asked each one to introduce themselves.

I started my presentation and mentioned that the coming week was Holy Week.

I told them I was a Christian and believed that God is my Heavenly Father. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be crucified for our sins and on Easter Sunday we celebrate His Resurrection!

I then asked how many believed in God. They all said they did.

I shared that recently I read about the Last Supper and how Jesus demonstrated His love for the disciples by using a pitcher of water and a basin and washed their feet.

This was not uncommon, but the task was reserved for the lowest of servants.

Keep in mind that Jesus, the King of Kings, humbled Himself as a servant.

As the disciples walked in the room and took their places around the table, Jesus took a pitcher, a basin and a towel and girded His waist. He took the basin and knelt before one of the disciples, took off his sandals and began to wash his feet.

Jesus washed all the disciples’ feet, including Judas’, knowing that he would betray him that very night.

I concluded my short story of the Last Supper by saying Jesus demonstrated that He didn’t come to earth to be served, but to serve.

I then took the pitcher, basin and towel out of the bag.

I picked one young man who seemed to be struggling and asked if I could wash his feet. He agreed and after having his feet washed, he knelt down and washed the feet of the next man.

Nine men humbled themselves and came up and after their feet were washed, knelt and washed the next man’s feet.

The last man who had his feet washed turned to me and said that he would like to wash my feet. I was humbled by having a young man wash mine.

It was an exciting night for Jeanne and me. I’ll never know exactly what happened that night, but I’m convinced that telling the story made most of the men realize that Easter is all about Jesus.

Happy Easter!

If you have any questions or comments, please write Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084; call 985-652-8477; or e-mail hkeller@comcast.net.