Foot Washing Love

Recently, my pastor has been teaching on servanthood. Whenever I hear that word my mind goes to the story in the gospel of John 13:1-17. Remember when Jesus Christ demonstrated what it looks like to serve and love each other. The Son of the living God, God incarnated in human flesh, strips himself of his outer garments and wraps a servant’s towel around his waist. The Apostle Paul describes the humility of Jesus as, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

Jesus, knowing that his time to die was near picked up a basin and poured water and proceeded to wash and clean his disciples feet with his hands. He then wiped their feet dry with the towel that is fastened to his waist. Jesus in one stunning act of humility presents two messages; one, he came to serve and not be served, and two, those that are followers or students of his are to do likewise.

I have thought about my resistence to following Jesus' example or Apostle Paul's instructions to esteem others higher then myself. As I read this story again, in preparation for Holy Week, I am convicted that I have sinned and not been a servant to my brothers and sisters.

Jesus later on in the story announces a new commandment. We are to love each other as He loves us. In the next verse Jesus says, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:34, 35 NLT). I have imagined myself going before my church and making a public confession of my sin of not serving and loving them.

I would say to my church the following: Please forgive me for putting conditions on my love and service. Forgive me for chosing who I would love and care for or who was worth loving. Forgive me that I needed you to be loveable, likeable, sane and safe. Forgive me for deciding when and how I would serve you and never considering nor asking you what you needed. Forgive me that I had a caste system for who I would love. Forgive me for not listening when we talked. And forgive me that I was more concern about programs then people.

And then I would wash their feet.