[Darris McNeely] What might we learn from John the Baptist about becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ? Even though John the Baptist really didn't work with Christ directly, other than baptizing Him, in his ministry. One very important matter – an attitude of humility.

When John was asked about his role, and his position, and the One that he was to be speaking for, John answered those that asked him – he said, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose." That's in John 1:27.

John the Baptist didn't feel that he was even worthy to stoop down and unlace or untie the sandal strap of the one that he was announcing, Jesus Christ. Now, in that statement, there is a great deal of meaning, because in that day, among the Jews in the first century, there was a saying – "All acts a slave performs for his master, a disciple performs for his rabbi, except untying the sandal." The disciple, in working with a rabbi, would never untie the sandal. That was even beneath a servant, according to the Jews in that day. John said, "I'm not even worthy to untie the strap of the One who's going to come after me." John was beheaded – he certainly baptized Jesus, conducted and fulfilled his ministry, and was beheaded. Jesus fulfilled His ministry. And on the night that Jesus spent with – His last night with His disciples, when He changed the symbols of the Passover service, and before going out and being arrested, beaten, scourged, and crucified – Jesus knelt down, in John chapter 13, and He washed His disciples' feet.

When we look at this example, we focus at times just on the washing of the feet, which was what a servant would do, but the surprise among the disciples that night was as much for the fact that, unspoken as it was in the account, Christ would have had to have untied their sandal straps and take them off at the same time – doing something that, in the first century world of Judaism, a disciple would never do for its master, and Jesus now was doing it for them, showing just exactly how He placed Himself in His role, not only before His disciples, but before all mankind, as one who was giving everything – His whole life – as a slave to God and to the service of mankind.

It was a profound event on a most profound night. Taking the sandals off, washing the feet of His disciples and teaching them what would have to be the ultimate attitude of humility and service and commitment. And that's what we have to have in our life, as well, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ – something to think about.

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