The Scandal of the Towel: Jesus and the Definition of Love
By Mike Osunkwo
We often use the word "love" too lightly. We love our coffee; we love a song; we love the feeling of a warm breeze. But when Scripture speaks of love, it is not referring to a sentimental feeling or a fleeting emotion. It is referring to a violent, self-sacrificing, and counter-cultural action. If we want to know what love looks like, we cannot look to Hollywood or Hallmark. We must look to a dusty upper room in Jerusalem, where the King of the Universe took off His outer garments, wrapped a towel around His waist, and knelt in the dirt to wash the feet of men who would soon abandon Him.
The Context of Glory
The Gospel of John sets the stage for this moment with a staggering introduction. John writes:
“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.” (John 13:3-4, NIV)
Read that again. It does not say, “Because Jesus was humble, He served.” It says, “Because Jesus knew He possessed all power, He served.”
In the world’s economy, status is a shield against service. The higher you climb, the less you have to touch the dirt. The more power you have, the more insulated you are from the needs of the lowly. But Jesus inverts this entirely. He understood His divine identity so completely that He had nothing to prove. Secure on His throne, He was free to take the place of a slave.
The Intensity of the Act
It is impossible to grasp the intensity of John 13 without understanding the filth of the first century. Roads were shared with animals. Feet were caked with mud, manure, and grime. Washing feet wasn't merely a gesture; it was the most degrading household chore, reserved for the lowest Gentile slave. It was so degrading that Jewish rabbis were legally prohibited from asking their Jewish disciples to perform it.
Yet the hands that formed the stars in the cosmos reached into that basin of dirty water. The fingers that will one day wipe away every tear scrubbed the grime from between Peter’s toes, the man who would deny Him three times before sunrise.
This is the "intensity" of Jesus' love. It is not a love that waits for us to clean ourselves up. It is a love that meets us in our filth. It is a love that is not afraid of our ugly parts, our shame, or our betrayal. He knew Judas was about to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver, yet He still knelt before him. That is love that hurts. That is love that costs something.
The Law of the New Kingdom
After He had finished, Jesus returned to His place and asked them a piercing question: “Do you understand what I have done for you?” (John 13:12). He then issued the call that defines the Christian life: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:15).
We are not called to simply admire this love; we are called to embody it. In a world that tells you to fight for your rights, Jesus tells you to pick up a towel. In a culture that tells you to assert your status, Jesus tells you to take the lowest seat.
The Application
True love is not a feeling you fall into; it is a posture you adopt. It is the decision to look at the people around you, the spouse who frustrates you, the coworker who undermines you, the brother or sister in Christ who has hurt you, and to pick up the towel anyway.
To love like Jesus is to serve those who don’t deserve it. It is to use your strength not to dominate, but to protect. It is to spend your energy not on being noticed, but on making others whole.
Jesus didn’t just preach love; He wore it. He wore it in the form of a servant’s towel, and ultimately, He wore it on a Roman cross. If we are to be His disciples, we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to get our hands dirty?
Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, forgive us for our pride. We confess that we often seek the crown without the cross and the glory without the towel. Teach us to love as You loved: humbly, actively, and at great cost to ourselves. Amen.”
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