My 18-year-old self stumbled into the halls of Texas A&M University wanting one thing: to find a community of students who loved Jesus, loved each other, and could help me become a true follower of Jesus. It was here where the Lord met me through a little Asian-American ministry called Epic Movement. While the main focus of Epic is on Asian-American students, anyone is welcomed and encouraged to join in their activities. Established in 2010 as a Christian student organization, Epic’s goal is to create a learning and social setting where students can interact in a community of believers who strive to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every aspect of their lives.

At Epic, I was in a community of people about my own age who genuinely wanted to get to know me. Their love for Jesus compelled them to be intentional in building relationships. They rejoiced with those who rejoiced and mourned with those who mourned. Several students soon became my best friends and mourned alongside me when I totaled my car a semester later. They also celebrated with me over every personal and academic goal I achieved. From my first time at Epic, I felt seen and known.

One day, after a large group meeting, a senior student named Thomas approached me and asked if I’d be willing to start meeting with him every week to learn about what it means to follow Jesus. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. What was Thomas inviting me to? But I was excited to be able to learn, and I didn’t know my Bible very well, so I said yes to Thomas’ invitation. And I am so glad I did! It became one of the most formative relationships the Lord has ever gifted me.

Thomas was the first person to really explain the Gospel to me. He sat with me one day and told me the greatest news ever:

There is a God who created the world and the first two people. All was very good. God created man and woman in His own image, as His representatives to tend to His creation. These first parents of mankind had a relationship with God; they were stewards over the world God made for them to enjoy.

But, in time, these two people chose to rebel against God. Wanting to be their own god and rule over their own lives, they brought death upon themselves. As a result, God’s good world was filled with all kinds of evil, suffering, and pride. The human heart became inherently bent on evil, incapable of any good outside of God’s divine grace.

God would have been just to let all of us die in a world completely removed from His goodness. But God loves His creation and desires to dwell with us for eternity. He loved us to the point that He took on flesh in Jesus Christ and lived the perfect life—the life we were initially designed to live. He died on the cross and took on the full weight of our sin—past, present, and future. Three days later He rose in victory over all sin, death, and evil. And He gives His free gift of forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who trusts in the work accomplished by Jesus Christ. One day, God will make all things new. There will be no more evil, mourning, crying, sorrow, or pain.

Thomas finished by saying to me, “Only Jesus fully satisfies—and He can make you a new creation.” Then it clicked for me. This wasn’t just good news. It was the best news ever! God had graciously revealed Himself and His amazing love to me! What was this great love?—Christ died for me on the cross and rose to defeat my sin and evil—a love that calls me out of my past life of selfishness into a life of following Jesus. I dropped to my knees before my Savior and, as a new creation, I started my new life in discipleship to Jesus Christ.

For Thomas, the Gospel message was the life breath of everything he did. He loved Jesus and wanted me to know his Savior as he did. Our Thursday morning Bible studies were much more than consumption of information. Thomas was interested in helping me gain knowledge of the Bible, but he was equally interested in my life: where I grew up, my family, my goals, and interests. I found myself looking forward to our discipleship times—not strictly because I would learn more about God, but because I experienced Jesus’ love week after week through Thomas. He became like the older brother I never had.

One thing Thomas did was to pay attention to my life patterns. He noticed that I never ate breakfast and was always hungry when I met with him for our Bible studies. Being a fellow college student, he didn’t have much to give. But he started bringing me a homemade sandwich so I wouldn’t be hungry in Bible study or during class afterward. Of course, this helped me pay a little better attention during our Bible study time.

The month before I graduated, I received an offer to work at my church in College Station, mentoring three boys. In my quiet time with the Lord, I brought this discipleship opportunity up in prayer, asking how I should mentor these students under my care. The Lord reminded me of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet (John 13), as well as the memories of my time with Thomas. All of a sudden it clicked. Why did I remember so clearly how Thomas served me? Because this is the model of love that our Savior showed. I couldn’t recall exact details of our theological conversations, but I remembered exactly how Thomas loved and served me.

Jesus makes his appeal known to us through His love—through His radical service for us. Why would Jesus focus specifically on washing His disciples’ feet? Because it is in this act of service that we experience and witness the very character of God. We see the heart of the God who loves humanity to a point that He would come down to rescue us from our sin and shame and bring us into His kingdom. And He calls us to follow His example—to wash one another’s feet. How did Jesus want me to disciple the three young boys? By bending down and serving them as Thomas had served me. Proper discipleship is only done with deep, abounding love for one another.

Years later, after I finished college, Thomas’ act of kindness still sticks in my mind. Our theological conversations were important, but it was Thomas’ service to me that I remember most clearly. His sandwiches became an example week after week of his intentional, subtle kindness, as well as his desire for me to walk with Jesus. I came to see how powerful and life-changing the Holy Spirit is in the lives of those who have trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It wasn’t a glamorous sermon that showed me God’s character. It was someone bending down to wash my feet.

As His followers, we are called to serve sacrificially because it is through this that the world can see the heart of our Savior. God used something as small as a sandwich to show me the depths of His amazing grace. May we love this hurting world by sacrificially serving one another, for the glory of our risen Savior and King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, for grace to trust him more!

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).

Abraham Tsai is from Plano, Texas. By God's grace, he is a current resident at Grace Bible Church in College Station, Texas.