Got A Towel?

When you think of a towel, what immediately comes to mind? Do you think of the dishes that have just been washed and now need to be dried? Do you think about a nice soft bath towel after a refreshing shower? Do you picture yourself lying on a beach towel as you soak up some rays? Or maybe you picture the ones neatly hung in the bathroom that are there to look at but not use.

Now, if we were to picture a towel as a SYMBOL FOR LIVING there are at least two diverse concepts that may come to mind.

The first is the idea of “throwing in the towel.” Have you ever been involved in something that wasn’t going well or you felt was just simply too hard? I mean something that made you feel like “throwing in the towel” and calling it quits? Something that made you want to just throw up your arms, stomp your feet and exclaim, “I quit!”? You may have heard it said, “When the going gets tough the tough get going!” It takes some extra strength to press on when things are not very easy. Consider some of the things Jesus went through as He walked this earth. He faced the opposition of the religious leaders of His day. There were people who hung on His words one moment and walked away the next. He even had to exercise patience with His own disciples who had difficulty accepting or understanding some of the things He was trying to teach them. And then He faced the most cruel death one could possibly suffer. But aren’t you glad He didn’t “throw in the towel”? Jesus pressed on to complete the task He came to fulfill. Where would we be if Jesus had “thrown in the towel”?

But the reason Jesus did not “throw in the towel” is because of the spirit He possessed that caused Him to “PICK UP THE TOWEL.” You can read the whole event in John 13:1-17, but I want you to at least note verses 1-5 here:

“(1) Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, HE LOVED THEM TO THE END. (2) During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, (4) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and TAKING A TOWEL, tied it around his waist. (5) Then he poured water into a basin AND BEGAN TO WASH THE DISCIPLES’ FEET and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” ( John 13:1-5 ESV)

Did you note that John introduced the account of Jesus “PICKING UP THE TOWEL” and washing His disciples’ feet as the way of showing “he loved them to the end”? We praise the name of Jesus for His willingness to serve as a lamb to die for our sins. We see that as the greatest way He could demonstrate His love. But washing feet? Maybe our concept of great servants are those who do the “front page” deeds. But Jesus showed us great servants are ones who are willing to serve on any and every level! The servant spirit of Jesus prompted Him to serve in WHATEVER capacity was needed. Because of that spirit He endured when anyone else would have “thrown in the towel” and was willing to “PICK UP THE TOWEL” if that was the service that was needed.

What a Savior we have! What a model of servitude! May we also be willing to “PICK UP THE TOWEL” and serve in whatever way is needed, even if it is drying dishes. And if we have the willing spirit to “PICK UP THE TOWEL” we too will be strengthened to resist “throwing in the towel.”

Have a great day AND DON’T FORGET YOUR TOWEL!
Carl
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[This focus was originally sent 06/16/1998, (Edited some and the passage has been changed to ESV)]

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