Aside from doing the job of a servant in foot washing, what is the foot washing for? Why is it important that Christ signified we have clean feet, and be willing to humble ourselves to wash our brother or sisters feet?
The feet represent our walk with God. We should have clean feet. Our feet also carry the good news to the places of the sick and needy, the worldly, the sinners that need the good news. Surely we would get residue of these environments on us as we walk, symbolically speaking. We do what we can to keep ourselves clean (the washing of the water of the Word), and we hope to have the loving support and care of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, to help us. We also are to help them, pray for them, help them in practical ways, monetary ways, etc.
Yet as the world continues to spin, and we feel/sense, and in some cases see, the intensity of the times we are in happening about us, it is brothers and sisters turning away from each other that I see. Very little foot washing is taking place.
Consider the humility of foot washing. It is putting another’s walk before your own. Another’s relationship with Christ and what He has called them to, above your own. This isn’t about who is or isn’t greater than you, it is about the Spirit of love and humility in service to one another and not to be greedy, selfish or even mindful about your own.
Here is where I see some believers missing the mark.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:14-16 NASB)
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 13:8 NASB)
Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” (John 13:9 NASB)
Why would Jesus say “If I do not wash you, you have no part of Me”?
We must be washed clean by Him who is the Word. Yes. But if He is also showing us how to be with each other, what does this mean? I think it means that we are not truly a part of the Body of Christ, the corporate, many membered body, if we are not willing to humble ourselves, even to the complete removal and disregard for our own calling or ministry, in favour of another’s. We MUST, as servants to the body, and in the body, serve the Corporate Body, not just our safe and comfortable little fellowship group or church.
God looks on the heart. This must be a true service of love and humility, otherwise we deceive ourselves.
When the depth of the truth Jesus said to Peter, dawned on him, he then said Jesus could wash his hands and head too. These body parts are certainly perceived to be more important parts of the body than the feet. But it was the part of the body that was bound to the earth that Jesus displayed great service and humility toward.
The Body’s service and mobility is reliant on the feet or it can’t go to serve and bring the glad tidings. And these feet have no choice but to walk in the earth, which we are ‘in’ but not to be ‘of’. The feet need great care. The entire body is relying on them.
Let’s prayerfully and carefully take care of each other. Let’s let the Christ in each of us continue to wash each other’s feet, otherwise we may have no part of Him.
