Thoughts You May Not Have Thought About Foot Washing (Part 2)

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." (John 13:12-15 ESV)

I would hate it if you washed my feet. Most people would, probably. If they're not terribly ticklish like I am, they're probably worried about how their feet smell or they have some other hang-up. It is some relief to know, then, that Jesus probably wasn't giving us a specific command to wash each other's feet, but a general command to serve one another.

The disciples had been arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom whenever Jesus got around to establishing it. Jesus paid little attention here to their misconceptions about what his kingdom would be like, and focused on their misunderstanding of greatness. Wrapping a towel around himself, he showed them greatness by doing for them what only the hired servants of the day normally did, and only because they had to.

You want the world to admire your greatness? Do things for others that are mildly inconvenient and will be noticed by a lot of people. You want the Lord to admire your greatness? Do things for others that no one else wants to do and no one else will know about.

"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." (John 13:17 ESV)