Alias I've overcome

John 13: 12-17

When I was in the seventh grade one of the guys I ran with was Billy Lucas and he had names for all of us, one of our buddies was “Rocket head” because his head was shaped like a football, and Billy had two names for me “Flaps” because of my large ears, and a second name that had more to do with my personality, “little prince” first, because I was little and second, because I had to be first.  When you’re one of the smallest kids in seventh grade and you have a bur haircut that enhances the size of your ears and have a 68-pound body, it does not help to have Billy yelling down the hall of the Junior high school “flaps where are you going?”  It can cause an identity problem.  I would do almost anything to not be called flaps, and so “little Prince” was almost welcomed by me, even if it was meant to be a put down.  You may be sure that Bobby, alias, Flaps, and Little Prince was not comfortable, I was a very insecure and had no understanding of my place in life.

What a contrast to the man I am becoming in Christ, “Little Prince” had to be in front, needed to be seen as a leader, but Jesus is teaching me that to be a servant in His kingdom places me in a role of importance, that spiritual forces of good and evil are watching to see if I will allow Christ to be my life.  And this is what happened after Jesus washed His disciples feet: “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”  (John 13:12-17 ESV)

Jesus resumed His place, and that place was leader, teacher, and Lord, but unlike “little prince” Jesus stepped out of that role, and washed the feet of these men who would also go and do like wise. Do you need help in this area of your life?  Surely you want the blessing of God, and Jesus knew we wanted to be “Little Princes” and not servants, so He gave us a Helper, and to receive His help it requires asking and letting Him do it all for you, and then doing what the Helper tells you to do.  Jesus tells us all about our Helper in (John 14:15-17 ESV), “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”  My prayer is that you grasp the need for a Helper, and welcome His help.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice