At the Table | Jesus' Table Manners

12 After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. 14 If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do.

John 13:12-15 (Common English Bible)

If you want to know what Jesus' table manners look like, look at what he did right before the Last Supper. He got down on his hands and knees and washed his disciples' feet. The one who deserved to be served chose to serve. The one who had every right to expect others to take care of him chose to take care of them instead.

That's the pattern Jesus established for everyone who follows him. His table manners aren't about using the right fork or keeping your elbows off the table. His table manners are about putting others first, serving instead of being served, and loving people even when they don't deserve it.

This is revolutionary. In a world that teaches us to look out for ourselves first, Jesus shows us a completely different way. Instead of fighting for the best seat at the table, we look for ways to serve those around us. Instead of making sure our own needs are met first, we pay attention to who might be going without.

These aren't just nice suggestions for how to be a better person. This is what it means to follow Jesus. This is what our encounters with him at the communion table should produce in us, hearts that are willing to get down on our knees and serve others the way he served us.

But when we practice Jesus' table manners, we don't become less than who we're supposed to be. We become more. We discover the joy that comes from serving others. We experience the peace that comes from putting others' needs ahead of our own. We find the fulfillment that comes from loving sacrificially.

The question each of us has to answer is simple: Do we want to keep using our own table manners, or are we ready to learn Jesus' table manners? Do we want to keep living like we always have, or are we ready to live like Jesus?

Personal Application: What would change in your daily life if you adopted Jesus' table manners – putting others first, serving instead of being served, loving sacrificially? Where is God calling you to wash someone's feet this week?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for showing us what real table manners look like – not etiquette rules, but a heart that serves others. Help us learn your way of living, your way of loving, your way of putting others first. Transform our hearts so that we find joy in serving rather than being served. Make us more like you at every table where we sit. Amen.