Lessons From Feet Washing

Peter could not believe his eyes. There was Jesus, towel around his waist, pouring water into a basin and moving from disciple to disciple, washing each one's feet. Then it was his turn. Stooping before him, waiting for him to offer his feet for washing was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of God.

The words from his lips betrayed his bewilderment. John tells us, "Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" (John 13:6, KJV). Without addressing Peter's state of mind, "Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter" (v.7), but the disciple was having none of that. "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet" (v.8a). Who could blame him? What was happening was a travesty of enormous proportions because the duty of feet washing was that of the house slave! He who was God in the flesh, His Lord, wanted to wash his feet? Wanted to do the work of a slave? No way! Not happening! The stubborn fisherman seemed prepared to hold his ground. Then Jesus spoke and answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me" (v. 8b). Maybe Jesus had looked directly into Peter's eyes; maybe there was a pregnant pause as His words pierced the disciple's resistance. In surrender, Peter saith unto him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head" (v.9).

The narrative continues, "So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (vv. 12-15). There are at least two important truths we can glean from this object lesson. First, Jesus demonstrated to the disciples that the act of washing each other's feet, of them all doing the work of a slave, was a demonstration of humility and deference to each other. For sure, if He, their Lord and Master, could set the example by doing it to them, they could and should do it to each other. Secondly, but no less important, was a demonstration of what it meant to trust Him when they did not know or could not explain what He was doing or why He was doing it.

We are being asked by Him to do the same things. To follow His example of service and humility for the cause of the kingdom of God. To trust Him when we cannot see Him; when we cannot feel Him; when we do not know why He leads us where He does; when we do not have any answers. Why? Because He can be trusted; He knows what He is doing.

By Accident or On Assignment?

She was a young Jewish girl and a slave in the household of a Syrian solider. Like many other females in the Bible, we do not know her name. Yet the only recorded words she spoke live on almost 3,000 years later. The writer of the book of Kings tells us, "And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:3, KJV).

Verses 4-15 record the story of Naaman and his healing from the dreaded disease. However, central to the story are the young girl’s words. Because she had the courage to mention the God of Israel and his servant the prophet in a household in what to her was a foreign land, her witness set in motion the chain of events behind this narrative. So what is the big deal? Consider this. She was captured from Israel, taken to Syria, and was made a servant in the house of Naaman (v. 2). She was far away from her home, isolated from her family and from the worship of her God. If anyone had an excuse to abandon the God of Israel, she did! Seen from the human perspective, He had not protected her from the Syrian raiders and He had not kept her out of a life of slavery! She had more than enough reasons to complain, yet despite her circumstances not being the best, she had not abandoned her faith in the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isacc. On the contrary, she was looking for opportunities to spread His message and light in the place where she had been taken. The flame of her faith was still burning and she was not afraid to declare that faith to the people around her.

Contrast her attitude with that of those who use their situation in life as an excuse for not being able to be faithful to God, and not being able to be a witness for Him. Struggling through sicknesses, financial distress, family crisis, being the only Christian at home or in the workplace, and whatever else, some ask, "Why should I keep faith in God when He has not been all that helpful to me?” Because some of us do not trust God when we find ourselves in difficult places, we often feel He has abandoned us; we find it difficult to stay true to our faith. However, in an environment that was hostile to her race, country, and faith, the young girl remained faithful.

 Pastor Tim Chester was right when he said, "Notice that the girl didn’t have to heal Naaman herself, or even pray for him to be healed; all she had to do was point him in the right direction. . . . Her role was really a very small role, but it was a vital one nonetheless. Without Elisha, Naaman could not have been healed, but without the young girl, Naaman would never have gone to Elisha to ask for healing." That is powerful stuff! I believe God’s people are everywhere with a message of hope for a world that is lost. In their search for answers, people need someone to tell them about Jesus. Why are you where you are? Are you there by accident or is it possible that you are there on assignment?

"In the Beginning God..."

In the first week of yet another year, I am reminded of the first four words from the book of Genesis, "In the beginning God," and it occurred to me that there is no greater way to start the year than by getting God involved at the very beginning of it. If we look back over the past twelve months on how we did when we tried to manage things on our own, some of us would see our pathways littered with mistakes, disappointments, failures, hurts, among other things. For others, it has been a difficult year in other areas as it seems we have been tossed to and fro by life’s contrary winds. Nothing up to now seems to make any sense.

Yet there is something comforting about having God by our side. This does not guarantee that we will not experience challenges because living in a fallen world is a challenge within itself; however, God assured the nation of Israel, "O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour" (Isaiah 43:1-3a, KJV). Because we serve Him who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), we can trust Him that the same promise He made to Israel can be applied to our lives. It is important to note the use of the word "when" because it affirms that we will go through some challenging times. However, if we engage God at the beginning we have His word that He will be with us in and through every situation.

The importance of engaging God is brought out the Psalmist who reminds us, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Psalm 127:1). This principle can be applied in and to every area of our lives. Unless the Lord builds our homes, our relationships, our marriages, our businesses, our careers, our futures, we labor in vain who try to build them ourselves. Because everything is under God's control, we are ultimately dependent on Him for our success. With that in mind, it makes sense that as we deliberate our plans for the New Year, the most important decision we can make is to engage God.

Moses also understood how important this was. Leading the nation of Israel in the exodus from Egypt, he was not prepared to go anywhere unless God was with them - "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence" (Exodus 33:15). It is my prayer that we will adopt the same attitude as we navigate our respective journeys, "Lord if you are not going to be with me in this thing I want/have to do, do not let me do it." Doing anything without Him is never, ever a good idea.

"In the beginning God." Engage Him.

 God's very best to you and yours for a blessed and successful 2013.