Expecting Easter: Seeing Like a Servant

During our 
Sense of the Resurrection devotionals,
we read John 13:1-17
and discussed how Jesus behaved like a servant
towards his friends the disciples.

13 It was just before the Passover Festival.

Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world

and go to the Father.

Having loved his own who were in the world,

he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress,

and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,

to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father

had put all things under his power,

and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing,

and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water

into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,

drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,

“Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing,

but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied,

“not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath

need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.

And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

11 For he knew who was going to betray him,

and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet,

he put on his clothes and returned to his place.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.

13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,

you also should wash one another’s feet.

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,

nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

***

After reading this passage and discussing 

what it means to be a servant,

I had the kiddos put together...

...Random Act of Kindness bouquets.

The plans was to put together these vases of flowers

and secretly set them on different neighbors' doorsteps.

To add a touch of fun to the flowers,

the kiddos each got to decorate a

Styrofoam egg

(which I found at a craft store)

on a skewer...

...with Washi tape.

We also included in the bouquets

some mini pre-decorated

eggs on a stick

that I picked up at

The Dollar Tree.

(I also picked up the vases at

The Dollar Tree as well.)

We purchased a bouquet of from

Sam's club and divided it

among the vases.

Then we added our eggs and THESE tags...

...to create beautiful surprises for our neighbors.

Finally,

with stealth-like sneakiness,

the kiddos placed to bouquets on different doorsteps,

knocked,

and ran away.

Thankfully,

we were able to actually

SEE

some of the neighbors

receive their bouquets from a distance,

which was nice.

Seeing our servant-skills in action...

***

Up next on Expecting Easter:

Touching the Crown