Clean Feet – Devotions for 4-16-25
John 13:8 “…If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
One of the most interesting things Jesus did during His time with His disciples during Holy Week, His last week on earth, was to wash His disciple’s feet.
The setting was their Passover meal. During the celebration feast with His disciples however, Jesus changed the script. Normally the Jewish Passover meal is very scripted with specific questions to be asked at specific periods of time and specific foods. The Jewish Passover celebration is a very historic meal and follows very closely to what the Old Testament teaches happened with Moses and the people of Israel at the first Passover. Most Jewish people do the same things all over the world, the same things their ancestors did for many generations.
In the midst of the traditional Passover meal with its familiar foods, questions and answers about why they eat those specific foods and what the meaning of it all is, Jesus gets up, leaves the table, ties a dish towel around His waist and fills a bowl with water and a washcloth. Then Jesus moves back to the table where His disciples are still eating and talking among themselves. Jesus then bends down and starts washing the feet of His disciples.
I often wonder what they thought. It was so out of the ordinary. Yes, they were used to someone washing their feet, but that was always when they first came into the house, not in the middle of the meal. And though they were used to someone washing their feet, it was always either a servant, a child, or someone else other than the main host. And for this meal, Jesus was the main host, He was the leader. The leader did not wash His followers’ feet.
What was that all about? Peter wondered that, He even challenged Jesus saying; “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus shows how unusual it was telling Peter that he would not understand it now, but later he would. Peter knew that according to tradition, Jesus should not be washing his feet so he adds, “You shall never wash my feet.”
You likely know the rest of the story. Jesus ends up finishing washing all the disciples’ feet in a show of humility and servanthood. Jesus was the servant of all.
What does this story of an event in the last week of His life have for us? Maybe two things. The first is that it is OK, maybe even necessary, to shake things up sometimes and do something different. It makes a point. Jesus often challenged the people of His time to make a point. Sometimes we need to be brave and do something different so that others can have their eyes, hearts and minds opened to the truth of God’s word and Jesus’ work.
The other thing, which is the point Jesus was making for His disciples, is that we need to be servants, God’s servants to others.
There are people around you who need you. It may be a relative or a friend. It may be your spouse or even a neighbor. But there are people in your life who need you. They may need you for reasons totally out of your normal life, but they need you. They may need you to babysit their children, mow their lawn, walk their dog, or bring them a meal. It may be that their need goes deeper, someone to talk with because they are lonely, someone to help them understand a problem they are trying to figure out, someone to listen to them cry because of some deep hurt. But people need you, they need you to be a servant to their need.
Who will you serve? Look around you and ask God to show you who He needs you to minister to, to be a servant to. Who knows, it just may change their life, and yours.
Pastor Gary.
Leave a Reply