By Victor Counted, Ph.D. | Episode 14: Biblical Wisdom for Flourishing
Before the cross and the crown, there was a towel.
Before the triumph of resurrection, there was the quiet, undignified moment when the King of the universe knelt to scrub the dust and sweat from between His disciples’ toes. Not exactly the messiah moment anyone expected—but exactly the one we needed.
In John 13:15, Jesus says, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Not preach what I’ve preached. Not believe what I’ve believed. Do what I’ve done.
And what had He just done? He washed their feet.
It is easy to romanticize the idea of Jesus’ humility, to admire it from a distance like a powerful piece of art in a gallery. But Jesus never meant for His humility to be admired—He meant for it to be replicated. His life wasn’t just a gift; it was a model.
And that model doesn’t fit well with today’s culture of self-promotion, brand-building, and platform-seeking. Jesus didn’t climb ladders—He descended them. He didn’t shout to be heard—He stooped to be seen.
The Floor Is Where the Power Is
In a world where influence is everything, Jesus points to the floor. He invites us not to be celebrated, but to serve. And this isn’t about performative kindness or virtue signaling. This is about real, sacrificial, sometimes unnoticed love. The kind that shows up with a mop. The kind that listens when it would be easier to scroll. The kind that forgives, even when no one’s watching.
Why does this matter? Because love isn’t abstract. It’s not a Hallmark card or an Instagram quote. It’s action. It’s grit. It’s humility with hands.
As N.T. Wright so beautifully puts it, Jesus didn’t just come to die for us—He came to show us how to live. And when we live like Him, something remarkable happens: not only are others lifted up—we’re changed in the process.
What Science Says About Living Like Jesus
Turns out, modern psychology agrees. Studies on empathy and prosocial behavior reveal that people who serve others experience higher well-being, greater joy, and even improved physical health. Kindness rewires the brain. Compassion strengthens the heart. Service, it seems, isn’t just good for the world—it is good for us.
Which brings us back to the towel.
Washing Feet in a Modern World
You may never literally kneel with a basin of water and a rag—but foot washing takes many forms. It looks like forgiving someone who hasn’t earned it. It sounds like a kind word offered when patience is thin. It feels like noticing the overlooked—the cashier, the immigrant, the janitor, the single parent silently struggling.
This is how Jesus lived. Not just with words, but with posture. With presence. With radical, embodied love.
And the world? The world is starving for people who live like Jesus.
This week, where can you go lower? Who in your life needs you to kneel instead of correct, to serve instead of impress?
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This is Biblical Wisdom for Flourishing by Dr Victor Counted
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