"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During the supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash. except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13:1-15
Most Christians know this story. Some have participated in feet washing activities, and realize how humbling it is to have your feet washed. They also realize how powerful it to wash someone else's feet. I have participated myself and know both experiences.
A little history lesson, the custom of the day was to wash the feet of guests. People wore sandals and it was a dusty place. People's feet would be covered in dust, be hot, and tired. The washing of the feet would remove the dirt, cool the feet, and make tired feet feel better. The host of the house would have servants or slaves wash the feet of the guests. Just from a customs' standpoint, Jesus was not the host of the house where they were having supper. Therefore it was not His job to see that the feet were washed, let alone wash the feet Himself. Yet He washed their feet.
Jesus still does this very thing in our lives today.
Our parents may range from wonderful to bad to people who should have never had children. Regardless, of where they fall on the continuum there are things that they should have done for us that they didn't, couldn't, or just wouldn't. We are left with hurts and gaps in our lives. Jesus knows what should have been done for us, and He comes into our lives and does for us what we didn't get.
This can be true in any number of relationships: spouses, siblings, friends, teachers, bosses, co-workers, almost anyone who has even a little significance in our lives. There are many ways that these hurts, holes, and hot spots may have gotten into our hearts and minds. But Jesus can step into anyone of these areas and does the work to wash away the hurt, fills the holes, and soothes the heat out.
Some of us are like many of the disciples who allowed Him to wash their feet. We let Him in and let Him heal and fill the holes in our lives. Some of us are like Peter, and we think we are doing Him a favor by not allowing Him access. It takes Jesus telling us that if we don't let Him then we have no part of Him for us to allow Him to wash us, heal us, and save us.
But it doesn't end there. Verse 15 tells us that He was an example for us and that we need to follow His example. If He is a part of us, like He said to Peter, then we must allow Him to use us. He gives us opportunities to wash the feet of others by being for them what they need. He tells us to give them something, serve them, pray with them, feed them, etc. no matter how dirty, smelly, or even demeaning the job may be. When we have the opportunity, we must be like Jesus. We need to do the job that may not have been ours to do, but He has given us the opportunity to do. We need to be willing to be feet washers.
