"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matthew 13:23

"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." John 13: 3-4

We know that, after laying aside His garments and girding himself with a towel, Jesus knelt and washed the disciples' dirty feet, even humbling himself to wash the feet of His betrayer, Judas. Such love! Such humility! Such a servant's heart! Would He have accepted Judas' confession and true repentance even then, at that late hour, and forgiven him? I believe He would have. Jesus' symbolic act of laying aside garments spoke of humility and acceptance, of openness to even the most distasteful service, and of a willingness to be known.

Peter, on the other hand, put on his outer garment when he became aware of the presence of the risen Lord on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias early one morning.

"Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea." John 21:7

I've wondered why that small detail about Peter's clothing was recorded in Scripture, but now I'm wondering if maybe it's there to show us the condition of Peter's heart. Hadn't Jesus told him and the other disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel? What were they doing back out on a fishing boat, especially after having seen and talked with the resurrected Jesus? The conversation between Jesus and Peter that followed Peter's dramatic plunge into the sea (Peter was always a great one for drama!) seems to indicate that Peter was unwilling to serve, for it's in this passage that Jesus has to ask Peter three times, "Do you love me?" And, praise God, after all of that, we know from the early church history recorded in the book of Acts, Peter finally really did "get it" and go on to serve the Lord in many powerful and effective ways. But it took him a while to get to the place where he was willing to lay aside his outer garment of pride and self-will, a while before he was willing to uncloak himself and be known.

So who am I in my service to others? Peter or Jesus? Am I cloaked or uncloaked? Which are you?

Or perhaps you haven't yet met Jesus. If that's the case, I want you to know that Jesus chose not only to remove His garments to wash the feet of the disciples, He chose to remove His outer garment of flesh for you to wash you clean of your sin with the living water of His blood. On the cross, He wiped away the grime of sin with the towel of His own body. On the day He rose again, He laid aside death like a soiled towel that had served its purpose, and took up again the garment of Life, Himself, clean and glorified. Have you accepted His gift of cleansing? He's uncloaked and waiting to give it to you if you will believe in Him, confess your sin, and ask to be cleansed.

Daye Phillippo