Have you been wounded by someone─really wounded to the point that you wonder if you’ll ever get over it? It’s the club no one wants to join, yet it's brimming with members. 

Even Jesus was wounded. Unfortunately, being both God and man, He knew who was going to hurt Him, when it would happen, and how it would be done. There is a downside to omniscience.

What would you do if you knew, in advance, that someone was going to hurt you? Would you treat that person differently? Would you start distancing yourself, hoping to alter the course of history and prevent it from occurring? 

I know I would.

But Jesus didn’t. 

In John 13, Jesus is sharing a final meal with the disciples. It is the eve of His crucifixion and, if that were not enough, He knows one of His own is going to set it all in motion. Yet, despite that horrible foreknowledge, Jesus chooses to demonstrate His love for him anyway. 

Now, don’t write this story off because it was Jesus. I know He was perfect and holy and always made the right choice, but He was also human and felt life as deeply as we do. So, consider this: knowing in advance that someone is preparing to hurt you and choosing to love them anyway is just as hard, if not harder, than loving them after the damage is done.  

In John 13:21 it says, “Jesus was troubled in spirit.” That’s the holy way of saying that Judas was preparing to stab Him in the back and Jesus was already feeling the pain. Before verse 21 played out, though, Jesus performed the act of humbling Himself and washing Judas’ feet─an act which immediately separated them, elevating one above the other as prized and of great importance. 

Minutes later, Judas and his clean feet stood up, walked out, and betrayed Him. 

Could you wash the feet of a person you knew would one day hurt you? Could you humble yourself, kneel down, and look them in the eye? Could you pick up each foot, one by one, and tenderly soap them and pat them dry? 

It feels impossible, doesn’t it? So, how did Jesus do it? Our answer lies in John 13:3-4, right before He washed their feet:

“Jesus… knowing that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper.” 

He rose. 

Oh, how easy it would have been for Him to stay seated! He could have waited until the meal was over and Judas had left to betray Him. Then He could have washed the other disciples’ feet. But, no. While Judas was there and with the pain on the horizon, He rose. 

He was able to rise in front of Judas because He knew He had come from God and was going back to God (v.3). In other words, He knew:

• He was God’s son. Judas’ duplicity did not define Him. 
• Judas couldn’t permanently hurt Him. This was not His home. 
• His purpose on earth was not to have perfect relationships. It was to die for broken people and their broken decisions.  

Knowing who He was, where He was headed, and what His purpose was gave Him the ability to rise up and love someone who didn’t deserve it. It didn’t negate the pain of betrayal, but it did give Him the ability to tower over His circumstances and see Judas as a broken man making broken decisions. 

Omniscience is not required to know that we will all experience relational wounds. Thankfully, the same truths that equipped Jesus to handle it in advance can be applied after the fact. Let’s consider each of them individually. 

JESUS KNEW WHO HE WAS 

Jesus had confidence rooted in being the Son of God. He was never out to prove His worth or garner the praise of man. He didn’t have insecurities that interfered with His conduct. That assurance dictated His actions. 

Knowing who you are greatly affects how you handle wounds. Others may hurt you, but they do not define you. You can always turn your face toward God and be received with an overwhelming love. You are precious to Him in every way that someone else finds you lacking. 

You can choose to not let others define your worth. Your worth has already been defined. 

JESUS KNEW WHERE HE WAS HEADED

Heaven was the beginning and the end for Jesus. Earth was just a stopping point. He clearly stated that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). Now, did He build relationships with people? Yes. Did He strive to serve and care for others? Absolutely. Did He love mankind? Without a doubt. But, did He base His happiness or satisfaction on them? No. 

He drew an important fine line. 

Knowing this isn’t your final destination changes how you approach relationships. People should not define your worth, happiness, or satisfaction in life. They can certainly contribute, but they should not be your ultimate criteria. If you rise and fall on the joy and the agony that comes from people, your life will feel tumultuous and fragile.  

People can hurt you, but they cannot destroy you. No pain is permanent because this is not your home. 

JESUS KNEW HIS PURPOSE 

John 13 begins with Jesus knowing “The hour had come for him to leave this world…” (v.1). It was time to go home, but not before He accomplished His mission. He came to earth to die for broken people who make broken decisions. The goal was reunification with the Father that would lead to wholeness. 

Similarly, our mission in life is not to have amazing relationships with everyone. Rather, it’s to tell others about the wholeness we find in Him. We will cross paths with difficult people who will hurt us, but adversity can be used for His purposes. It is all a matter of perspective. We can choose to grow stronger through our wounds or we can let them define, defeat, and destroy us. 

We are all broken people who are givers and receivers of brokenness. It is what we do with our brokenness that matters. When you know who you are, where you are headed, and what your purpose is, it gives you the ability to rise up and forgive. It might be messy, and it doesn’t negate or excuse their behavior, but it’s an effective way to stop the broken record from replaying in your mind. 

You don’t have to wash the feet of everyone who has ever hurt you, but you can choose to see them as broken people who made broken decisions. And there is nothing they have done that can hurt you permanently because of where you are headed. 

It may hurt now, but it won’t forever. It’s okay to stop reliving it in your mind. 

Instead, rise up.  

FOR FURTHER STUDY

📖 Read: John 13:3-17; 1 Peter 2:23; Colossians 3:13

🔍 Reflect:

• Have I been holding onto resentment toward those who hurt me?
• How does knowing my identity in Christ change the way I view past wounds?
• What would it look like to “rise above” my hurt and trust God for healing?

🙏 Pray:

Jesus, You knew betrayal firsthand, yet You responded with love. Teach me to rise above my wounds, to trust in who You say I am, and to release bitterness that weighs me down. Help me reflect Your grace, even in pain. Amen.