Dirty Feet.

A child runs through the mud and accidentally steps onto a piece of broken glass. 

Jesus stops.  

As her blood and tears flow forth, He is moved to compassion and tenderly treats and soaks and bathes these precious feet until His love has been poured out as well.  He dries them carefully and wraps them in firm bandages, holding her until her pain has subsided.

A homeless man walks through the rubble spread across the sidewalk and searches for his lost pair of charity sneakers.

 Jesus stops.  

He sees the defeat and brokenness, and also the beauty and the promise.  He hears the cries for help and the humility to ask for an act of kindness. 

 Jesus is moved towards compassion.

 He bathes the man’s feet and anoints them with oil.  He gives him new sandals and leads him towards a golden palace.

A prostitute steps out of her stilettos and settles in between the sheets.

 Jesus stops.  

He sees her broken heart and all of her walls.  He sees the future day when her forces come crashing down.  He sees that she has lost her dignity, and He sees that her desire is freedom.  He hears the lies that constantly torment her mind, and He listens to what her eyes are desperately pleading. 

 Jesus is moved towards compassion. 

 He bathes her feet and anoints them with oil.  He gives her new sandals and a white gown, and leads her to the banqueting table.

A businessman steps into his plush office wearing his brand new shiny shoes.

 Jesus stops.  He sees that this man is lost in the world of materialism, and no longer has eyes to see or ears to hear that which is not tangible.  His heart breaks for the man who has no desire to seek the kingdom and cannot comprehend the glory. 

 Jesus is moved towards compassion.

 He bathes his feet and anoints them with oil.  He removes his shoes and brings him into the world of sorrow so that he might see.

A Pharisee settles in at home after a long day of preaching to the crowds.  He refuses to take off his shoes or uncover his feet.  Jesus begs Him to ask for a softer heart, that he might be cleansed. 

 Jesus sees the hypocrisy and wants so badly to wash these feet.  However, the Pharisee doesn’t think he needs Jesus anymore because he has figured out how to be righteous enough to get to heaven.

Thank you Abba for making us feet.  Thank you Jesus for washing away our shame.

There is something so vulnerable about seeing a person barefoot, almost as though they are partially uncovered and shouldn’t be.  After we spend days walking and standing and running and hiding, our feet can become so messy.  They carry the dirt we walk through.  They carry the mess we make.  They carry us and hold us up.  If our feet fail, we fall. 

Jesus sees our feet as the quickest way to our heart of hearts.  He assumes a stature that places him lowest.   There is nothing on our bodies lower than our feet.  Jesus goes below our feet and raises them to his eyes so that He can see us best.

Jesus knows that actions speak love louder than words.  He knows that before one can walk into the kingdom, one must have clean feet.  The Holy Place requires righteousness.  Jesus doesn’t preach about how to get your feet clean.  He cleans them for you.  You don’t even have to know how dirty your feet are.  He already does.

Jesus knows that in order to walk in the kingdom, one’s whole life must be given to God the Father.  He knows that life includes mind, body, heart, and soul.  If Jesus sees broken hearts and broken minds, He makes sure to heal those too.  Washing feet is more than just physical cleansing.  It’s emotional and spiritual cleansing. 

Humility speaks to someone, “I will honor you.  I will protect you.  I will love you, even when I see your weakest places.”  Jesus invites people to be messy with Him, because He will do the heavy lifting.  Sometimes, Jesus washes people’s feet simply so that their pride can be convicted and their hearts can be softened.

Jesus did His foot washing well.  He did it with love.  He did it because He knew that we would need to do the same.  We need to become lower if we want to become greater.  Foot washing isn’t a ritual, it’s a posture.

We need to learn how to be His body here on earth.  We need to learn how to wash each others’ feet.  We need to learn how to look at a men and women and children and remember that Jesus would find the gold in them, fall down, and wash their feet. 

Think of the person you love the most.

Jesus is washing his feet.

Think of the person who has hurt you most.

Jesus is washing his feet.

Think of the person who angers you most.

Jesus is washing his feet.

Think of yourself.

Jesus is washing your feet.