Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday and Monday, September 13 and 14, 2026
“SorryforallthebadthingsI’vedoneuntoyou.”
That’s how they said it, as if it were all one word. And they said it fast.
I’ve always enjoyed this story my husband tells from his childhood days. He’s the oldest of four siblings, with a span of seven years from youngest to oldest, two boys and two girls.
During their younger years they developed a nightly practice, which their parents had nothing to do with. As they climbed the stairs to their bedrooms they would say to each other, “I’m sorry for all the bad things I’ve done unto you.” Only they rattled it off rapidly.
(I especially enjoy the inclusion of the word “unto.” I think it elevates the apology, giving it a King James touch.)
And speaking of touch, it touches my heart that these four children decided that, on their way to bed each night, they should make a clean sweep of their day with mutual apologies. Some might criticize this rapid-fire apology as lacking specifics, but I think their young hearts were in the right place, and they had plenty of time for maturity to teach them more about apologies and confessions and repentance. Meanwhile, I’m happy to cut them some slack.
However, I’m not as generous when it comes to Jesus’ disciples. I am not prone to cut them slack when I read Bible passages that show them, more than once, arguing amongst themselves about who would be the greatest, who would shine brightest and best in the coming kingdom. Even within hours of Jesus’ arrest and trials, we hear this:
Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. (Luke 22:24 NKJV) (See their facial expressions in my photo above, courtesy of my husband’s sketching talent!)
With amazing patience, Jesus responded to their grumbling and grouching over their positions in His kingdom:
And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. (Luke 22:25-26)
And then, seeing that His words were not enough, Jesus shows them what He means.
The story unfolds in John 13, with these tender words:
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)
He loved them so much that He needed them to understand that one of the keys to His kingdom was humble, heartfelt service to others.
They had gathered to celebrate the Passover with its special meal, but apparently the customary servant was missing. Who would wash their feet? Certainly not the disciples, still simmering in their unhappiness with each other.
And so, John tells us in his eyewitness account, Jesus took off his cloak, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and knelt down to wash and dry the feet of twelve men, twelve friends, twelve people He loved “to the end.”
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. (John 13:12-15)
How would you feel if you’d been one of the twelve, and Jesus had washed your feet, fully knowing you’d been fussing and fuming about something you shouldn’t have even been thinking about? How did they respond?
I like to think their hearts were softened, and their attitudes shifted. I like to think that they apologized to Jesus and to each other. I don’t know that.
What I do know is that before the terrors of the night were over, one of them had betrayed Him, one had denied Him, and all of them had abandoned Him after His arrest.
And yet, when He defeated death and rose triumphant from the grave, eleven of them turned back to Him, and He welcomed them with arms wide open in forgiveness. He must have been so eager to return to His Father, and the peace and joy of heaven, but He lingered on this earth for forty days, doing all He could to equip His disciples for their mission of preaching the gospel and inviting Jews and Gentiles into His kingdom.
They still had a lot to learn about that kingdom, but they were getting a good grip on God’s grace, and forgiveness. I, too, have a lot to learn, and I thank the Lord for each new day to discover more about His character and His kingdom.
Lord, please teach us how we can best shine for You here and now, as we look forward to There and Then.