Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

Many of us have heard the analogy of the thread and the tapestry. In this example you learn about the relation of small things to their ability to form something large and beautiful. It can be the members of a family working together, or an even larger group. It can also be the pattern of our individual lives.

I think sometimes we focus on the big things. We try to see the whole picture and ponder and pray about the big decisions in our lives. We see these as the things that define who we are and what our tapestry will look like.

But in reality, the one who know the whole picture is the weaver and He works with individual threads not chunks of yarn or puzzle pieces. Yes, we all have big decisions to make that can change the course of our lives, but how often do we think about the little things? There are a million little things that get woven into our tapestry every day. Perhaps what our life is like or how it might change during those big decisions is actually a result of the pattern we’ve laid with all the little things along the way.

Every day we make a dozen small decisions that will affect our final tapestry. As we choose, the Master weaves. When we realize we’ve made a mistake, He takes it out and renews the area to the beauty of the entire peace. If we do not realize, or choose not to correct, our failings and mistakes remain. When you look at the final piece these glitches might be noticeable, or they might not, but they still define who we are and who we will become.

If we are discussing the pattern and whether a mistake is visible to the eye our first argument is then revisited. Wouldn’t tiny mistakes from every day living be overlooked more easily than a large wrong choice? I think the problem is that mistakes all start out small. Every mistake starts with one wrong stitch. It’s those tiny decisions that dictate what our actions will be when the large choices come along.

Consider these examples:

If we find ourselves faced with the temptation to be unfaithful to our spouse, how will that decision be affected by our previous smaller choices? If we have made tiny mistakes such as looking at inappropriate images in the media, then we add the tiny mistake of dwelling on the images, then we add the tiny mistake of dwelling on the difficulties in our marriage instead of the love, then we add the tiny mistake of thinking about what it might be like to have chosen a different path or different partner – how then will our decision for a larger temptation be weighed? If on the other hand we have tried a little bit each day to love and value our partner, to avoid images that plant inappropriate thoughts in our minds, or avoid being alone with those of the opposite sex where temptations might be fed- how is that decision weighed?

If our mother provided us with music lessons, how are our future choices founded by our immediate decisions about whether or not to practice or find enjoyment in the learning?

If we casually disregard the speed limit, do we then forget other rules of the road that keep us safe?

While it is true that every decision is still up to us, we choose the path our feet will follow with each step not each mile. As we stray it becomes harder to find our way back the further we go.

May we pay a little more attention to the little things in life.
May we notice God’s small blessings.
May we smile at a stranger, or drop our spare change in the donation buck instead of our wallet.
May we hold our tongue just a little longer when frustrations build.
May we choose with each step to follow Christ even if the step seems too small to matter.

If we can do these types of things the tapestry the Lord weaves from our lives will be beautiful – one thread at a time.

One of my favorite stories in the New Testament comes just before Christ’s time in Gethsemane. While in the upper room, Jesus approaches His disciples and performs a humble service for them. He washes their feet. Like most messages from the Savior, this served many purposes and carried a different message for each level of spiritual understanding. I appreciate the knowledge I have gained from this one act. But, I’d like to share with you the message that means the most to me personally.

I love Peter’s surprise that Christ would even suggest to wash His servant’s feet. He loves his Lord and Master so much that he does not want to see Him in such a humble position. Peter worries that allowing the Savior to wash his feet would mean he somehow felt himself better than his Master. Of course, this was part of the message that Christ was conveying. We all need the humility to help and serve each other, placing ourselves on an equal level with our fellow man not trying to show our superiority. He says:

“For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” John 13:15-16

But, Christ also knew something about what was about to happen. He knew what His ultimate purpose in life was. He was sent to redeem us from our sins and open the gates to the resurrection and eternal life. Both gifts were to be given to show us the way back into Heavenly Father’s presence. Eternal life is a universal gift that He gave to everyone of us. A redemption of our sins is contingent on our choices. We choose whether or not we will accept his cleansing power within our lives. We choose how important He will be to us.

Peter helps me understand this choice in a very personal way. When Christ approaches him, Peter essentially asks: Why are you doing this?

Christ answers that though Peter is unable to understand right now, he would soon know why this needed to happen. Still Peter is upset by this action. He feels that he should be the one washing Christ’s feet. He refuses to let Christ serve him in this manner. I think that had I been in the same situation I would have said and done the same thing.

Then Jesus sternly opens Peter’s eyes to the importance of the situation.

“Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” John 13:8

Poor Peter! He has wanted nothing more than to follow, serve and love His savior since he was called to be a disciple. Now Christ tells him that unless He is allowed to wash Peter’s feet, Peter can not be truly His.

Peter’s response to Christ’s gentle reprimand is my favorite part of the whole story.

“Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” John 13:9

If this was a requirement for Christ’s love and guidance he didn’t want to do it half way. Peter wanted to belong totally and completely to the Savior. Can we say the same thing?
Let’s look a little closer at the symbolism of Christ’s actions. Feet at that time were a lot less clean than they are today. They were exposed to the dirt, dust, sand and grime of everyday life. Having your feet washed was privilege upon entering someone’s home as a guest. But, the actual washing was performed by a servant, not the master of the house.

Christ turned this tradition on its side by adding a dimension of not only honor but of invitation toward higher things. Shortly after this experience Christ would depart for the garden of Gethsemane where he would come face to face with all the world’s sins and accept them onto Himself. His acceptance takes the stain away from our own lives. His atonement has the ability to wash away the sins, cares and pain of the world we face every day— If we will let Him into our lives and bare our feet for Him to wash.

This is the sweetest part of the gospel of Jesus Christ for me. He willingly gives me this gift. If I knock at His door and ask to sit at His table, he washes my feet and invites me in. I’d like to be more like Peter. When he found out how much this seemingly simple act meant for him, he pleaded: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” He wanted every part of himself to be clean and worthy of a place at the Savior’s side. Though the scripture continues with Christ telling Peter that his feet were enough, I love the image of a humble and loving Peter who asks to be the Lord’s fully and completely with nothing held back.

How can I show that same level of love and devotion in my own life? By letting the Savior wash my feet. More than that, it’s holding nothing back. It’s laying before the Savior all my sins, fears and frailties and asking Him to make them pure, to bring them in line with His will, to make me the best person I can be.

I think I tend to hold back from the Savior. Sometimes it’s a small habit that isn’t good for me, but somehow seems insignificant. Sometimes it’s a larger problem that I feel I’ve brought on myself through my own choices. I forget that He loves me even in my mistakes. Instead of reaching up for His offered hand, I struggle and claw trying to find my own way out of the pit I created. Sometimes it’s an area of my life that isn’t necessarily bad, but could definitely be better if I would commit to its improvement— But I don’t.

When something in my life doesn’t seem quite right, I look to the story of Peter and the Savior.

First, have I given Him permission to wash my feet lately?

Second, am I still holding things back from Him?

When I need to be closer, I need to let go. I need to get on my knees and plead with the Lord: Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Show me how to become Yours.

What is the power of family? Why are they so important to Heavenly Father? He has placed us here in a loving and supportive family as a central part of His plan for us. Why? Because we are His family.

One of the truths that I treasure most about the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the LDS Church is that we are very literally children of God. He is the Father of our spirits, and we are His children. Family matters because He wants us to remember the happiness that we knew in His presence. That is why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focuses its efforts around Christ-like, eternal families.

I do realize that for many this type of family life has not been a possibility. That is why I’m also grateful to realize that Heavenly Father took this into account when He sent us here to earth. He gave us a powerful gift of agency to choose for ourselves the course our lives would take. With this gift He also provided an unspeakable blessing. He gave us an Older Brother.

Each of us will face trials within this life. That is part of why we were sent here. This time away, this time of choices provides us with an amount of spiritual growth that could not be achieved within the presence of our Heavenly Father. Still, the overall goal is growth at the end of our lives that will lead us back into our Father’s presence again. He knew we would not be perfect. He knew many would lose their way. He knew some would never find the path. But He also knew we could come back. That is the power of Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother.

Jesus Christ is our exemplar and our Savior. We look to Him for a pattern of life that feeds our spirits and draws us closer to our Heavenly Father’s love. We also look to Him to bind our wounds and heal our hearts when the sorrows of the world, or our own mistakes, weigh us down. When Heavenly Father presented the plan of happiness to His children, He asked for a Savior. He asked for one who would lead a perfect, sinless life for us to learn from, but more importantly who would atone for our sins. Jesus Christ answered, “Here am I, send me.” He was our Elder Brother before this life and He continued that role during His mortal ministry, atonement and death on our behalf. He watches out for us, still. Pleading with us to hear His voice and come unto Him.

How grateful I am for the call of the Good Shepherd, for His influence in my life, so that in my own way I can answer, “Here am I, send me.” With Jesus Christ as my Elder Brother, I can be equal to any task that the Lord has prepared for my personal growth here on earth. I will be His disciple. I will serve at the Master’s hand until the day that I stand before my Brother and my Father in judgment. I will give Jesus Christ my heart and willingly turn all my sins, doubts and fears over to Him so that I can once again stand pure and worthy before my Heavenly Father. Because of Jesus Christ, no matter what my family life may have been here on earth I can return to God’s family. There’s no greater joy than that.

The path of a disciple is not necessarily easy to walk. In fact, in our desire to follow the Savior we are given a special command: “Be ye therefore perfect,” Matthew 5:48. It’s a little unsettling if you dwell on it as a single command. How can we possibly be perfect?

For me personally, the things that keep me from perfection are mostly small, but they come every single day of my life. Large transgression, or small, our human nature and the restrictions of a mortal life, hold us far below the nature of our Father in Heaven. Still, the call is issued. Be ye perfect. When we are called, a disciple will follow, no matter where the path may take us.

Thankfully, with this command comes the understanding of Heavenly Father. He understands our imperfections and He has provided a way. He has provided the Savior Who’s atoning sacrifice makes up the difference IF we choose His path. That’s the key to answering the Lord’s call for perfection: we choose to walk the Lord’s path and do the best we can. Then, as we walk the path, He keeps our footsteps sure and leading toward perfection.

Our part is to find the path and stay on it. This is where repentance comes into play. It is still easy to lose our way. Repentance is a disciple’s most valuable course correction.
The word “repentance” is built around the Greek word for a change of mind. We change our minds and hearts to become more like Jesus Christ.

Repentance is the recognition of actions that keep us from the Savior’s way.

Repentance is our ability to back up.

Repentance is our commitment to learn from our mistakes and never to return there again.

Repentance is our chance to re-focus on what really matters – we re-focus on the Savior and our desire to be like Him.

Repentance is a privilege and precious tool given to His disciples.

We want to walk His path. We are His disciples. He will guide us toward perfection with the blessing of course corrections along the way.

How do you create memories for things that are special to you? Do you keep a journal or photo album, or do you have some other favorite method of bringing back good feelings and joy from past experiences?

The covenant of baptism is one of the most joyful and sacred blessings in a disciple’s life. Unfortunately, if we do not take the opportunity to remember the covenants we have made, and the feelings associated with them it becomes very easy for these promise to become lost in the less important stresses of every day life. Because of our Heavenly Father’s great love for us and His understanding of our human frailties, He gives us an equally sacred method to remember this experience by. Every week, as we gather on the Sabbath, we are given the opportunity to take the sacrament. The Lord has commanded us to take advantage of this opportunity. He has promised us that if we will go to Him to renew and remember our baptism covenants, it will also renew our strength and conviction to follow Christ and give us added protection from the evils we encounter every day in the world.

“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9).

As Christ faced His last evening with the disciples, before His ultimate sacrifice, He had two specific things to teach them. These were the things he wanted to have the greatest impression on them. The first was His example of service and a commandment to become like Him. Just as it was for them, it is our willingness to do service and our desire for goodness that bind us to Him. The second was the sacrament. Jesus Christ gave them an ordinance specifically designed to help His disciples remember Him, be close to Him, and honor the promises they made to Him.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)

Jesus brought this same ordinance to the Americas when He visited its people after His resurrection.

“And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his Disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.

And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.

And when the Disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the Disciples and commanded that they should eat.
And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.

And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the Disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.

And this shall ye always observe to ado, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.

And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his Disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.

And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.

And when the Disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.

And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. (3 Nephi 18:1–12)

At baptism we commit ourselves to Christ and show ourselves willing to carry His name in every aspect of our lives, to try to live His gospel and become like Him. When we take the sacrament we return to that sacred promise. We place ourselves in a holy atmosphere where we can sit at the Father’s feet and assess our lives and dedication to Jesus Christ. We thank Him for the Savior’s atoning sacrifice that we remember through the bread and water. We thank Him for the chance it gives us to repent, to seek forgiveness and begin each day with a greater conviction to bring our lives into harmony with the gospel and His commandments. We walk away blessed with the spirit of Jesus Christ to build us up and guide us through life until we meet and renew our covenants again.