Clean Feet?

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:12-13

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12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:12-13

Was this act of Jesus simply about clean feet or is there more to it than that?  I know, a rhetorical question.  Let’s take a closer look together and see if there is something fresh the Spirit would like to speak to our hearts.

A few weeks ago, Leon spoke of the need for the host to provide a customary foot washing station for their guests. In some cases, the host would also have a non-Jewish, often female slave, that was relegated to that duty since it was considered lowly work and for many Jews, it was considered beneath them to wash the feet of others.  However, if a free person washed the feet of others willingly, it was a great expression of friendship.

According to Jewish customs, Jesus should not be washing his disciples' feet, He was the Rabbi!!  Such things were not done by Rabbi’s which is why Peter was so taken aback.  

An interesting aside, feet in scripture, especially the Old Testament, often symbolize stability, direction, and a path of righteousness…I wonder how this all fits into the bigger picture of this act of Jesus???  

The washing of the disciple’s feet by Jesus was definitely a significant act, since never before had a master washed the feet of his servants. The event occurred after the meal was served, therefore it was not an act to welcome His Passover dinner guests. Jesus was not the slave of His disciples, nor were his disciples His masters, so what was Jesus trying to convey to his friends the eve of His greatest betrayal.

Foot washing has become a thing some churches or Christian groups engage in, often the Thursday before Easter Sunday and is referred to as Maudy Thursday.  My personal experience with foot washing as an act of service came during a mission trip to Peru.  To be honest, I was dreading the event.  I had flashbacks to when I was a child and my mom made me massage her tired, achy feet after a long day at the hair salon.  I don’t have good memories around that act of service to her, so when our team leader joyfully announced we would engage in this spiritual act, I was less than excited.  As the time for the event came to take place, I found my heart racing and a cloud of dread descend upon me. But not wanting to create a scene, I reluctantly pushed all those feelings aside and entered into the activity with the best attitude I could muster.  As the foot washing station moved around amongst us and it came to my turn, I noticed something had shifted in me as I gently washed one of my teammate’s feet and prayed for her.  There was something tender and intimate in this act that surprised me, something that stirred deep within my spirit.  I felt like there was a connection of our spirits together that was other worldly, of the Kingdom of God.  It was difficult for me to have my feet washed by her in return because of the deep feelings it stirred within me of awkwardness, embarrassment, humility, unworthiness.  I experienced deep love and concern for someone I had grown very fond of.  Even still, as that was many years ago, there is a connection in our hearts together linked to that event.  

As I look in scripture to other accounts of foot washing, a theme emerges for me.   In Luke 7:36-50 is an account of the “sinful woman” who stood behind Jesus at his feet and washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed them many times and rubbed them with perfume.  What an extravagant expression of love and devotion.  Jesus reproaches the grumbling on-lookers with a parable of expressions of depths of love, then in verse 44:

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; dyou gave me no water for my feet, but eshe has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 fYou gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to gkiss my feet. 46 hYou did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.”

How very tender and intimate this encounter is.  Could this be closer to Jesus’ heart and purpose in washing His disciples’ feet?  The spotless lamb, the perfect sacrifice in an imperfect world, takes off his outer garment, wraps a towel around his waist while his disciples are arguing amongst themselves who will be greatest in the coming kingdom. He kneels at the first disciple and gently takes off his sandals to wash his feet.  Can you picture it…I bet you could have heard a pin drop in that room.

He comes to the sons of thunder. While washing their feet does he pray for them to be greater servants willing to be last?  Peter, who wanted no part of this act relegated to slaves… as Jesus holds his foot tenderly, does He whisper, I am praying for you Peter, my Rock?  As he touches Thomas’s feet, does Jesus linger over the spot where nails will soon penetrate his own feet? For John, does Jesus remember the depth of friendship they shared in this life and how John will faithfully care for His beloved mother…Philip, the one who had no idea how to feed the crowd...how many would he feed the Bread of Life because of his faithfulness and all he experienced as one of those closest to Jesus…and Judas, what would that be like for the one that was to betray his Master…And what was in Jesus’ heart towards Judas knowing the deed that would soon come to fruition…Hmmm, I wonder.  Jesus would have continued with each of the beloved disciples in this lovingly humble act of service to them, each of them chosen by Him, taught by Him, and loved by Him.  Can you pause and picture the scene?

I think Jesus was modelling more than mere servanthood.  He modeled His great love for them and how they were to love others.  They learned how to receive that love in a whole new way that night in the upper room and in doing so, they were filled with His unmerited grace and righteousness in order to go out, serve others, teach others how to receive and give the same love and grace they had just received.  He told them they would not understand what he was doing for them, but they would …later.  His loving touch on each of them would have spoken of His Everlasting love for each of them.  

What about for us?  Are we willing to admit we like to be in control and it may be uncomfortable to have someone serve us in such an intimate way, or that it is difficult to love and serve others in this manner?  We would rather wash our own feet… but as Jesus declared to Peter, “Unless I wash you, you will have no part in me”.  Submission and surrender of our pride and desire to control, to be great, is so very counter cultural to the world in which we find ourselves. But it is the way of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Will you place your feet, your walk, dirty from the world in which we walk, in the hands of Jesus and allow him to lovingly cleanse them, pray over them, consecrate them, set them apart for the purposes He has in mind for you the remaining days of your life?

Warmly,
Melody