“Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me’” (John 13:8).
There is a certain boy, who may or may not be here, for whom, when he was a little guy, the daily washing of feet was just as important as it was in ancient days. Any two-year-old’s feet can get pretty black when going about his or her daily tasks of finding ant hills, digging pits in the dirt, and the ever important: jumping in mud puddles. In fact, little boy’s feet get as dirty as the feet of sandal wearing people in ancient times. So, like in ancient times, where washing feet was a practical matter, so too was it for us in order to keep the little foot prints across the floors of the house at bay.
But, something strange happened whenever that little guy would lay back to have his feet washed. Rather than the washing tickling his feet and waking him up, as one would expect, the warm water and gentle scrubbing would put him fast asleep with a smile on his face. It was as if our little act of service to him, the washing his feet, was all the love and connection that he needed to feel completely at peace.
The cleaning of his feet was love, it was connection, and it brought about peace.
“Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with
me’” (John 13:8).
One day, Mary cleaned Jesus’ feet, with costly a 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 and connection that Jesus needed to feel at peace, and face his future.
The cleaning of Jesus’ feet was love, it was connection, and it brought about peace.
When questioned about the act, Jesus reiterated, “You do not always have me” (John 12:8).
Speaking of not having him, the disciples were near the edge of losing 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, connection, and peace that Jesus knew the disciples would need in the days to come.
The cleaning of the disciple’s feet was love, it was connection, and it brought about peace.
“Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with
me’” (John 13:8).
Then, Jesus instructed the disciples to wash one another’s feet. After-all, he would soon only be present with them in Spirit. He instructs them to do it because he had done it. He instructs them to do it so that they may never lose the feel of Jesus’ love, the feel of Jesus’ connection, and the feel of “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
The cleaning of each other’s feet is love, it is connection, and it brings about peace.
Jesus instructed, “I have set you an example, that you also should
do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). “Love
one another. Just as I have loved you…”
(John 13:34).
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 hands.
He did it out of love, he did it out of connection, and it brought about peace.
“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34).
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 I expect you to then go and wash the feet of people at the grocery store. Just to be clear, that would be creepy.
Rather, the very real washing of feet remind us that bending low and serving one another (loving one another in a very real way, just as Jesus did) brings about a deep, and holy connection and peace, both in the one who serves and in the one being served.
It is a servant sort of love. It is a holy sort of love.
“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34).
May Jesus, grant you a deep peace and connection with him, and with one another, as we serve one another out of a divine sort of love.
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