Not too long ago I had the very humbling experience of having my feet washed by my mother-in-law, and not just mine, but she washed my sister in-law’s as well. As we sat in her living room, I made the comment of feeling like Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah. While my mother-in-law laughed the comment off, I really was struck with the love she was showing us. The following is a longer passage of scripture, but worth the read.
“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. 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. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:1-17)
I can’t help but try to put myself in that room before Passover and wonder, “Did all conversation stop when Jesus began washing? Was there confusion at His actions? Were any humbled to the point of tears?” We live in a day and age when the idea behind foot washing has changed. I could drive through most towns in Pennsylvania and find a nail salon and pay to have a pedicure done. But the idea of having Jesus Himself sit at my feet and wash them? What an undeserving honor. The twelve men whose feet were washed had stayed with Jesus throughout his ministry, walked alongside Him, gave up jobs and “security” to follow Him. And then, the majority of them lost their lives in the pursuit of proclaiming the Good News. Clearly, they weren’t perfect, but if I sat down and tried to compare myself to them, I would fall drastically short every time. But then I remember that He washed the feet of all twelve, including Judas’ feet, knowing full well that Judas would betray him.
Let me explain, I don’t think that this scripture is a matter of their worth. I don’t believe that the “good deeds” of the eleven made them worthy of having their feet washed and I don’t believe Judas' betrayal made him unworthy. Jesus’ whole goal of this action was to set an example that we should do to each other as He did for them (vs 15). To show love, humility, servanthood, and forgiveness. But on the whole, it is much easier to wash the feet of those who love Jesus, the kind that strive to live like the eleven and live as servants to Christ. It’s not easy to wash the feet of the Judas’s.
I follow a young artist on Facebook and she has a collection of digital paintings of Jesus washing the feet of those we Christians would probably deem undeserving. The first time I saw them I was wracked with guilt for the pride that I knew was in my heart. There in the chair was a man dressed in an orange jumpsuit. He was a prisoner but there was Jesus washing his feet. Another depicted two public figures, right before the election, with Jesus sitting there washing the feet of both of them. Yet another had a young man with a rainbow flag draped across his shoulders, but even still, there sat Jesus washing his feet.
We’re not to serve the evil in the world and we're not to condone the sin in people’s lives or find our identity in fleeting powers, but we are to love. Those pictures hit me so hard because I realized my lack of love. I can and should serve those who love Jesus, striving to do as Jesus did and serve my master by serving his people. But those paintings reminded me of the unfailing love Jesus has for all mankind and how it’s my job to be a witness to that love.
Jesus washed the feet of the man who was going to betray Him and He washed the feet of those He loved. He showed them all the examples of humility, service, and forgiveness. When we come to Christ, He washes our sins away. While we will still fail and sin while we are here on earth, we can continually come to Him to have our feet washed, and then we are equipped by Him to go forth and wash the feet of those who don’t yet know Him.
