Jesus Sets the Bar Low: Finding Identity in the Way of Christ

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper… poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet.” John 13:3-5

I have a vivid childhood memory of listening to the Mulan soundtrack, hearing Christina Aguilera belt out, “When will my reflection show who I am inside?” and feeling those words deep in my 7-year-old bones.

We have all wrestled with questions of identity. Even as adults, we ask ourselves: Who am I really? What am I here for? What is my purpose?

It is easy to attach identity to the things we do—our roles, our abilities, our accomplishments, the season of life we are in. We may look to our careers, our families, our ministry, or our talents to tell us who we are. But Jesus invites us to ask a different kind of question than the one Christina posed all those years ago.

Maybe the better question is not, “Who am I?” but “Where can I go low?”

Identity Defined by God

God has already answered the identity question for us. John 1:12 tells us:

“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Our identity is secure: we are children of the Living God. It is not earned, achieved, or proven. It is given, anchored in Christ alone.

But John 13 shows us what to do with that identity.

The Example of Jesus in John 13

John writes that Jesus knew who He was. He knew His purpose. He knew He had come from the Father and would return to Him. He lacked nothing. He was not grasping for affirmation, value, platform, or recognition.

And from that place of eternal security, He got down on the floor and washed His disciples’ feet.

Foot washing was considered the lowest household task—reserved for servants, not teachers or rabbis. Yet Jesus, the Messiah, took the lowest position in the room and served those who followed Him.

This was not weakness. It was confidence. Confidence in identity always looks like humility.

He “set the bar low,” not in the sense of making the standard small, but by showing us that true greatness is found in willingly choosing the lowest role.

Why did He do this? John 13:1 tells us plainly: “He loved His own, and He loved them to the end.”

Loved People Go Low

When our identity is rooted in Christ, we no longer need to chase significance. We already have it. We can stop striving to prove ourselves and instead ask:

Where can I go low? Who can I serve quietly? How can I love in a way that costs something?

Jesus spent His final hours before the cross not demanding attention, but giving Himself away.

This is what it means to walk in our identity as God's children—not to climb ladders, but to kneel and wash feet.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice that secured my identity as a child of God. Teach me how to go low. Shape my heart to love and serve others as You did. Let my life reflect Your humility, Your compassion, and Your joy in serving. Amen.

Meet the Author
Kira Echeandia

Kira lives in sunny Florida, where she works as a marketing professional by day and delights in spending her free time with her energetic pup, reading, and enjoying the company of friends and family. She also loves watching (and quoting) early 2000s movies, a favorite pastime that always brings laughter and warm feels. 

Her heart is to point people to the truth that our truest belonging is found in the family of God through Jesus Christ. For Kira, writing is more than a hobby, it is a way to share the hope, joy, and love she has found in Jesus. She is grateful for the opportunity to use her words to encourage others through Daughter of Delight.

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