washing one another's feet

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet."

-John 13:14

I’ve always been baffled by what it truly means to serve the people around you and why it should be done. When I hear the word “serve”, I think of housekeepers, waiters or even the juniors who had to clean up the tables after lunch in high school. Frankly, being in any one of those positions isn’t very desirable. It almost seems belittling to call someone a servant or to say someone should serve you (and vice versa).

(Read John 13:1-17) In this passage, we see Jesus wash the feet of his disciples. Let us take a second to reflect on that. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, washed the feet of his students, two of whom would later betray him! To me, the whole situation seems a little weird. My first thought was “Wow. Jesus is awesome and all but that’s quite disgusting.” Someone’s foot isn’t something that you would consider touching and that’s what makes this moment even more special. Jesus isn’t belittling himself by washing his disciple’s feet; rather, he is displays his love for his disciples by engaging in this humble act. As he says, he is setting an example of how we should treat our neighbors. We should be willing to lower ourselves in an act of humility (not humiliation) in order to help those around us.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

-1 Peter 4:10

I have now learned that serving others and washing one another’s feet comes in many different forms. 1 Peter 4:10 confirms this. It can be physical, like volunteering your time to help people in need; or spiritual, like setting time aside to pray for your friends and family. Serving one another isn’t cleaning someone’s home for pay, it goes beyond earthly acts. As the verse above says, God has given you a gift which you should use to serve other people – be it using your voice to lead worship on a Sunday or putting your carpentry skills to work by building homes for the homeless. The true essence of the service that Christ talks about is selflessness – putting other’s needs above our won.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

-Mark 10:45

This verse is the true definition of what it means to wash someone’s feet – giving your life for that person. Jesus did this both physically and spiritually. He gave up his time to travel, teach and to share the good news and when that was done, he gave his life on the cross so that we might life an eternal life if we believe in him. Now, I’m not saying that you should die for those around (at least not if God doesn’t want you to) but I am saying that you should devote your life to selflessly caring for those around you. Take time to ask God in what ways he wants you to serve and how you can best do that with His guidance. Perhaps He wants you to literally wash someone’s feet! If Jesus Christ the Son of Man, Jehovah, physically lowered himself to wash the feet of his friends, then we too can, and should, do the same.

God truly loves you.

With love,

Mandile