JOHN 13:12-14

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

TO PONDER

Most of us have probably participated in a “foot washing” service in the past where either the pastor has washed people from the congregation’s feet or where you have washed each other’s feet or have maybe seen it portrayed somewhere and have felt the discomfort of the whole experience.

I, for one, quite dislike the thought and definitely the experience of having my feet touched let alone having them washed by someone. Now, in my defence, the nerve damage caused by Multiple Sclerosis and a serious ankle injury, foot washing causes a lot of actual physical discomfort on top of the embarrassment side of the act.

In today’s verses we see the aftermath of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples but if you read some of the previous verses you see the protest voiced by Peter at the suggestion of Jesus washing his feet. Jesus patiently tells Peter that he still missed it, that he is still not getting why “God with skin on” had moved into the neighbourhood to be a servant. Jesus told Peter and the other disciples that they were supposed to do the same for each other, serve each other.

See, the foot washing is a physical representation of the spiritual, an uncomfortable reminder of the discomfort of our self-sacrifice we are to practice for the figurative, stinky feet of others, and the required humble attitude required to have the same done for our stinky feet.

PRAYER: Almighty God, I again thank you for your amazing act of sacrificial love you demonstrated when you came to earth to wash my stinky feet, when you demonstrated what grace looks like and when you commanded me to show others your grace.  Amen.

Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside