“Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’”
John 13:5-8
With the recent celebration of Easter and Christ’s resurrection fresh on my mind, I am called to examine my inner cleanliness. Not to mention that it is officially “flip flop” season in the Hill Country and my feet are dirty! If someone asked me on a given day of this week or last to wash my feet, I would say “NO WAY!” They are dirty.
All too often this is our response to Jesus, just as Simon Peter responded. He wasn’t about to allow Jesus, of all people, to wash his nasty dirty feet. This was something a lowly servant was supposed to do. This was only one demonstration of Jesus’ selfless service to the people. Our feet, just as the disciples, are often (especially in flip flop season) the dirtiest parts of our bodies. If Jesus were to ask to wash our face or our arm, we’d be okay with that because it’s not that dirty. Right? What are the deepest darkest dirtiest places in your life and in your heart that you don’t even want Christ to see or touch? Are you trying to hide them from Him? He sees it anyway. He can see your dirty feet. And you know what? He wants more than anything for you to let Him wash them. His death on the cross and now His resurrected life living in and through us calls for us to allow Him to wash every part of our bodies. Even the dirtiest ones. Allow Him to wash your feet so you may be clean and pure of heart in order to carry the good works He has set forth for you.
Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you would wash even the dirtiest parts of our life and make them clean. Thank you for emptying Yourself on the cross so that we may be continually cleansed. And Lord, if there are parts of us that are unclean that we are unaware of, we pray that You would bring those to light so that they too may be washed clean. And Jesus, give us the courage and willingness to allow You to clean out the closets of our hearts so that we may more clearly carry out Your will for our lives. Amen.
