Letters to the Prison - Week 153

Hello, everyone.  We’ve been examining John 13 and Jesus’ act of washing the disciples’ feet.  How does this physical act of humility translate into our experience today?  We’ve been given an example to follow (John 13:15)…  what does it look like?  Should we actually literally wash the feet of people we invite to dinner?  We could…  some have… with marvelous –and maybe a little awkward-- results.  But should we take Jesus at his word literally here?  As with anything else Jesus ever teaches, there is so much more to this example and conversation than some over-simplified literal interpretation.  Still, as we try to answer this question for ourselves, it might be easy to stray into some legalistic “cookie cutter” traditional answer that everyone “should” follow, but very few will.  So, what are we supposed to do with this example that we’ve been so urgently commanded to follow?

First, we should be encouraged to spend some time thinking about the event and the people involved… what they were doing… or not doing…  what is implied in their behavior and conversation.  From there, we might begin to get some ideas about what “washing feet” might look like today… some possible spiritual or relational connections.  To begin, consider Jesus:

• He, knowing everything John lists in John 13:1-3, nevertheless humbles himself to perform this task.
• He doesn’t draw attention either to his lofty position nor to his humility.  He just does what needs to be done.
• He gave ample opportunity for someone else to step up.  He “rose from supper” (John 13:4) to do it, which means everyone else played a game of “not it” and just sat down at the table… perhaps expecting that someone else would do it.  And Someone Else did…
• So, Jesus took initiative to do what no one else wanted to do.

What about the disciples in general?

• We know that everyone had “dirty feet.”  No one was “clean.”  Jesus had to do something to them in order for them to be “completely clean.”  So, we all have to own our iniquity.
• The disciples had to allow Jesus to clean their feet… which means they had to own that their feet were dirty in the first place.  And they had to give Jesus permission.
• Was everyone sitting around the table pretending that no one’s feet stank?  Were they being “polite” by attempting to ignore each other’s dirty feet?
  • What does a healthy forbearance with one another’s “stinky feet” look like?
    • Consider what Paul says: “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”-Romans 15:1
    • And again: “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”-Colossians 3:12-13

So, this washing of one another’s feet requires humility, forbearance, ownership, permission, togetherness, fellowship, initiative to take action, recognition of the truth of our condition, and so much more.  This example Jesus has given us should occupy our thoughts.  It is worth our attention.  But we also need to move on with our study.  And we will next week!  We love you.  

Dean A.