Celebrating Your Jesus Sisters
Have you ever held a celebration in honor of your Christian friends? Today, I ‘m headed to San Antonio to be a guest at a dinner thrown by one of my dearest girlfriends who is honoring her group of Jesus sisters. She’s invited all of the women who, over the years, have been supportive of her and have loved her unconditionally like Jesus has.
They are from all walks of life. They have different personalities. The friendships might be new or they might be twenty years old like the bond my friend and I have. The women’s common denominator: a love for the Lord and their hostess.
I am honored to be in this group that will gather; but may have to steal the idea. It’s a cool concept to thank the women, collectively, who have made a difference in your life’s faith journey.
Who comes to mind? What women have loved you despite your ups and downs, your shortcomings and were there for you through your life trials? For me, this list also includes those friends who are Bible nerds like me and love to spend hours talking about the Lord. I am blessed by their presence.
However, my friend wasn’t the first with this idea. Jesus paid tribute to his group of godly brothers as well. But he did it in a unique way and in the most humble of gestures.
He washed their feet.
What? Even Simon Peter tried to stop Jesus. It was unheard of for a leader to do such a thing, and it was a job relegated to servants. You can imagine what condition the disciples’ feet were in after walking miles on the dusty roads. But Jesus was sending an important message to his closest brothers through his servitude.
He said, Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Jesus is saying this is what friendship is about. You serve each other. No one is better than the other.
By washing their feet, Jesus was also telling his ministry pals how much he loved them.
This act comes on the heels of some of the disciples arguing about who would be the greatest. But in God’s kingdom, the first shall be last and the last will be first. Jesus wanted to teach his friends this truth through his actions.
How can you serve and honor those who have stood by you through thick and thin? It doesn’t have to be a group foot washing. A dinner is not necessary. You can invite your Jesus sisters over for dessert and coffee, you can send them a note or bake them a batch of cookies.
We can’t make it through this life without people who journey with us and support us. Today, I thank all of my Jesus sisters for your unconditional love and I am letting you know now to expect a party invitation in the new year, God willing!