Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter  said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”  Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you (will never) have a part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” (Joh 13:3-10)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (Phi 2:5-7 NKJ)

John 13 is so full of meaning, the double emphatic response to Peter, the importance of the act of washing feet, both spiritually and communally.  I want to focus on the actions of Jesus. The host in a meal might take a bowl of water around to his guests to wash the hands, but never their feet, and never during the meal.

Jesus literally takes off his robe and adopts the clothing of a servant and showed his disciples what it was like to ‘but made Himself of no reputation.’  American culture is about success, promotion and being somebody.  Christianity should be a counter-culture to the American model.