_THE LORD AS THE SERVANT_
"_Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His
hands, and that He came forth from God, and goeth to God_...."
--JOHN xiii. 1-20.
And how shall we expect the sentence to finish? What shall be the issue of
so vast a consciousness? "_He took a towel, and girded Himself ... and
began to wash the disciples' feet._"
So a mighty consciousness expresses itself in lowly service. In our
ignorance we should have assumed that divinity would have moved only in
planetary orbits, and would have overlooked the petty streets and ways of
men. But here the Lord of Glory girds Himself with the apron of the slave,
and almightiness addresses itself to menial service.
And that is the test of an expanding consciousness. We may be sure that we
are growing smaller when we begin to disparage humble services. We may be
sure we are growing larger when we love the ministries that never cry or
lift their voices in the streets. When a man begins to despise the
"towel," he is losing his kingly dignity, and is resigning his place on
the throne. "I have given you an example that ye also should do as I have
done to you."