When my son Isaac was a little younger, the daily washing of
feet was just as important as it was in ancient days. The feet of a two year can get pretty nasty
and black when going about their day, as did the feet of sandal wearing ancient
people. So, just like in ancient times,
the washing feet was an important, practical matter. We did not want the floors of our house to fill
up with little foot prints.
But, something strange happened whenever he would lay back to
have his feet washed. Rather than the wet
wash cloth tickling his feet and waking him up, as one would expect of a two
year old, the warm water and gentle scrubbing would put him fast asleep with a
smile on his face. It was like our
little act of service to him as we washed his feet was all the love he needed
to feel completely at peace.
The cleaning of his feet was love, and it brought about peace.
One day, Mary cleaned Jesus’ feet, with costly perfume. She wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair as he
prepared to face the horrors of the cross.
It was almost as if Mary’s small act of service was all the love Jesus
needed to feel at peace, and face his future.
The cleaning of Jesus’ feet was love, and it brought about
peace.
Very soon the disciples would lose the one who loved them, Jesus,
to the horrors of the cross. They did
not understand how bad the days ahead would be, but Jesus did. So, Jesus bent down like a servant and washed
their feet. It was an act of service to
provide all the love and peace that Jesus knew the disciples would need in the horrible
days to come.
The cleaning of the disciple’s feet was love, and it brought
about peace.
Afterward, Jesus instructed the disciples to wash one another’s
feet. After-all, he soon would only be
present with them in Spirit. He
instructed them to do it because did it, as their teacher. He instructed them to do it so that they may
never lose Jesus’ love and peace, this simple act would keep his love very
present and close.
The cleaning of each other’s feet is love, and it brings about
peace.
One evening, after playing outside with Isaac, Isaac looked at
the bottoms of my feet and declared, “Your feet are terrible.” So, he went into the bathroom, turned on the
sink, wet the washcloth from his bath, and proceeded to clean my feet with his little
washcloth and little hands.
He did it out of love, and it brought about peace.
For the most part, in our modern world of closed toe shoes, we
do not need to serve one another by washing each other’s feet. But, we do it tonight. We do it, not because Jesus expects you to
then go around and wash other people’s feet as you head to the store. That would be kind of creepy. Rather, it remind us that serving one
another…loving one another as Jesus loves us…brings about a deep, and holy
peace. Serving brings about a deep, holy
peace in both the one who serves and in the one being served. It is a holy love.
May Jesus, move you to a place of peace as you follow him and
serve one another out of love.
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