God’s Purpose Is Greater Than Man’s Opinion
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”’ (John 13:7)
Jalen Hurts, the outstanding quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, had many doubters who opined he was not NFL material. However, he has taken his team to the Super Bowl last year and are leading contenders to go again this year. In an interview after the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs to end last season, Mr. Hurts was asked if he answered his ‘naysayers’, and he ended the interview with this quote. “I had a purpose before anybody had an opinion.”
The context of John 13:7 from Jesus comes from the Last Supper, as Jesus prepares to wash the feet of His disciples. Peter responded to Jesus as I am certain I would have; “You don’t need to do this for me, and I really want no part of it.” But Jesus tells Peter (in paraphrasing John 13:8), “Look, if don’t let Me wash your feet, then you’re not My friend, so get out of here!” Jesus had a purpose before He was confronted with Peter’s opinion.
Why did Jesus wash their feet? It was a message that Jesus, who was God Manifested and truly the King of Kings and at a moment when He could have been really bragging that He was going to die for them, instead lowered Himself to what often only servant women did for their masters. He also did this as a sign that He was about to lower Himself into further shame and humiliation in the trial, beatings and crucifixion, finally death.
By washing their feet, Jesus also placed His disciples at a level they did not see themselves at, that they were more than just common blue-collar bubbas but that they were His Brothers, part of the Family of God. They did not know why Jesus wanted to do this for them, but after His resurrection and ascension, they became the leaders of His Church, elevated to a level they likely never thought they would ever attain prior to Jesus, or perhaps after the crucifixion. Despite their opinions of themselves, Jesus knew each of His Apostles had a greater purpose.
During their trials (with Jesus, then without, then with, then with but in Spirit only); the disciples did not know why they would have to go through trials; but afterwards they did once they understood (with the help of the Spirit) what Jesus had taught them. Many Christians often wonder why we have to go through trials or embarrassing situations, but it is often to prepare us for something else the Lord has planned for us, or for us to grow in Faith to better depend on Him.
Job did not know why he lost everything (except his wife), but was Faithful to know it was part of God’s Plan. Peter did not know why Jesus allowed him to deny Jesus three times later that night, but it helped prepare Peter to be more humble and more reliant on Jesus after Pentecost as Peter went out to evangelize both Jews and Gentiles. Paul had to go through the pain of blindness to end his persecution of Christians and find Faith in Jesus before he could become the evangelist to the world outside of Israel.
Each had a purpose that they and others may not have grasped or understood until their purpose was complete. We have a purpose given to us by Christ, whether we understand it or not and whether others see it as fulfillment or fantasy, it is what the Lord has provided you.
For us, we may not know why, being Faithful, God has us going through a storm or doing something out of our comfort zone. Others may be scratching their head on the ‘folly’ of someone’s actions for God, sometimes defying common sense (like Noah building an ark in the desert). We may not know why today, but later we will understand that it is all part of God’s perfect plan for us and His creation; we each have a purpose from God, and it is yours regardless of anyone’s opinion.
