Pastor Robert Hammond

Growing in our walk with Christ involves accepting the truth that life is more about humbly serving him than about pridefully living to serve ourselves. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). In John 12-13, examples of Christ-like humility are contrasted with cases of self-centered pride.

First, we find Mary humbly annointing Jesus’s feet with an expensive perfume called spikenard (12:1-8). John records that Mary then wiped his feet with her hair. Mary’s humble heart is seen in her willingness to use the expensive perfume on someone other than herself. And it is seen in her willingness to use her hair to wipe her Lord’s feet! Clearly, both actions reveal that she placed serving her Savior ahead of herself.

Second, we find Jesus humbly riding into Jerusalem on a donkey (John 12:12-19). This fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy that Jesus would come “lowly, and riding upon an ass” (Zechariah 9:9). Shortly thereafter, we find Jesus humbly washing the feet of his disciples (13:4-10). As Mary used her hair to wipe Jesus’s feet, Jesus humbly used the towel that he wore to wipe the feet of the disciples.

Jesus’s humble actions are complemented by his humble words. “For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me,” said Jesus. “He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak (12:49). Jesus humbly submitted himself to the Father. No doubt, this is an example for us.

The humility of Mary and Jesus is sharply contrasted with the pride of Judas and the Jewish rulers. Judas pridefully asked “Why was not this ointment sold… and given to the poor” (12:5-6). He cared not for the poor, but rather coveted the proceeds from the sale. The Jewish rulers believed on Christ, but pridefully refused to serve him by confessing him to others (12:42). John records that they feared being put out of the synagogue. He explained, “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (12:43). They pridefully valued their power and position before men over humility and service to their Lord and Savior.

Jesus calls believers to not only confess him (Matthew 10:32), but also to humbly serve him and follow him (John 12:26). He calls us to recognize that we are not greater than our Lord (13:16). As such, we should not live to serve ourselves. Rather, we should live to follow his example of humble service (John 13:14-15).

Praise God for his promise to bless us as we humbly submit to serve him (John 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6,10).

Father, help us humble ourselves (Romans 12:3; Philippians 2:5-7). And help us to give ourselves to humbly serve you as we serve others (Romans 12:1; Galatians 6:10).