Dirty Feet

Love those Dirty Feet It was a warm spring day. The streets were busy as people arrived for the Passover. The streets are dry and dusty. The disciples are far away from home. As the disciples arrive for the Passover meal, which was probably in a secret place, because everyone wanted a look at the Teacher. There sat a pitcher and a basin. Anyone could have taken it upon themselves to volunteer for the job, but no one does. In Jesus day the washing of feet was a task of servants, not just any servant, but the lowliest of servants. The servant on the very bottom of the totem pole. But here we have the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords who gets up removes His outer garment, wraps a servant girdled around His waist, takes up the basin and kneels before one of the disciples. He unlaces a sandal, and gently lifts the foot and places it in the basin, covers it with water and begins to bathe it. One dirty filthy foot after another, Jesus works His way down the line. These are the same hands that shape the stars, they now wash away filth. The one that someday all nations will kneel, now is kneeling before His disciples. What is Jesus really doing? These are the same men that He has spent the last three years of His life with. He knows everything about them. He has put up with their doubt and their unbelief. He has spent almost every awaking hour with them. Not only does He know what is happening with them at the moment, He knows what they will be doing. He has put up with their private thoughts, not only on this day, but He also knows what they are about to do, and what they will do in the future. Can you image knowing what your love ones will be doing, and what they are not only thinking at this moment, knowing what they are going to be thinking about. How did Jesus put up with them? Have you ever wonder why He didn't just replace them. You would think that of all times Jesus would want their attention; He knows that in just a few hours He will be crucified. But He doesn't. Can you image that knowing Judas would yet betray Him that same night, one of His own disciples, turning Him over to the Roman soldiers, to be beaten and hung on a cross? How could Jesus even think about washing His feet? He doesn't think. He silently lifts the feet of His betrayer and washes them in the basin. Could we, would we, wash the feet of someone who we knew was going to betray us? What a wonderful gift Jesus gave His disciples that night, and they did not even know it. (John 13:7) Within twenty four hours they would be hanging their heads in shame and looking down on their feet. When they look down, they will have to remember that Jesus knelt before them, just hours before. Do you know what Jesus did? He forgave their sin before they ever committed it. He offered mercy before they ever sought it. I know what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself," I could never do that". "The hurt is too deep; I can't even stand to be in the same room with that person". "I can forgive them, but don't ever ask me to wash their feet". "That's going just a bit too far"! Could this be a problem? Are we just looking at that person one way, the wrong way? We need to remember to get our eyes off the ones who hurt us and get our eyes back on the one who saved us. So many times we hear or think this story about Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, is just about humility and servant hood. Yes it is that, but let’s look at it from the deepest part of our hearts. The part of the heart that loves Jesus with everything we have. What was Jesus doing that day? What was He trying to prove when He washed the feet of His disciples? He is loving them! He wanted so much to show them how much that He loved them, before He died for them. He was also forgiving them! They were going to betray Him, denied Him, doubt His resurrection. He loved them so much that He forgave them, even before they sinned. O' what love that is. What a hard time we have just forgiving after someone sins against us. What a time we have working through the bitterness that we store within us. O' how hard it is for us to walk through the trials and the persecution of what others do to us. We have all been there and we have all said “It hurts so badly". Just image what Jesus was going through. And how He handles it. Yes this happened in Jesus time. We don't have a practice of washing feet every time someone comes to visit. This is not our custom. No but it was Jesus', and because He lives inside of us, it becomes ours also. Jesus is still kneeling and washing His disciple feet. Every time a speck of dirt falls upon us, He is reaching out and saying, "Let me wash that off of you." Jesus is still washing away our sins, if we let Him. He is still saying I love you, no matter what. That is not all He does. Because He lives in us, we can do the same. Because He has forgiven us, we can forgive others, because He loves us unconditionally, we can love others the same way. We are to have a heart like His. John 13:14-15 says “If I then, your Lord and Master washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you." Jesus has offered us unconditional grace. We are to offer unconditional grace. The people around Jesus had no doubt of His love. The people around us should have no doubt about our love. One last thought... Jesus was not the guilty party in that room that night. If anyone should have had their feet washed, it should have been Jesus. We need to remember ever if we are not guilty, we need to go the guilty and wash their feet. Show them that you forgive them; show them that you love them, no matter what. You will find that when this happens, more often than not, both parties will end up on their knees. Jesus made sure that His disciples had no reason to doubt His love. Shouldn't we do the same? I John 4:8 He that loveth not knowth not God; for God is love. Shelly Clegg