The Basin Before The Cross
Why FEET? Understanding the Power of Humble Service
Have you ever wondered why some churches practice foot washing as part of their worship? This ancient tradition might seem strange or uncomfortable to modern believers, but it holds profound meaning rooted in one of Jesus's most powerful demonstrations of love and humility.
What Was Life Like in Ancient Times?
To understand the significance of foot washing, we need to imagine walking through an ancient city like Jerusalem in 32 AD. Picture yourself navigating busy streets made of stone and compacted dirt, filled with merchants hauling carts, farmers bringing livestock to market, and all the waste that comes with daily life.
Your feet would be protected only by sandals as you walked through roads covered with urine, blood, mud, fish guts, and debris. By the end of the day, your feet would be absolutely filthy. Without running water, you'd have to wash your own feet using water from a cistern - unless you were wealthy enough to afford a servant.
Who Washed Feet in Jesus's Time?
In ancient culture, foot washing was either a personal task or the job of the lowest servant. Only the wealthiest people could afford to have someone else wash their feet. It was considered such a degrading job that only those who were paid to do it would perform this service.
At dinner parties or banquets, a thoughtful host might hire a servant to wash guests' feet - a luxury that would feel exciting to common people who normally had to clean their own feet.
The Last Supper: When Everything Changed
Now imagine you're Peter, arriving at what we now call the Last Supper. You're expecting a special Passover celebration with Jesus and your eleven friends. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a servant to wash your feet - a rare treat.
But as you enter, you see only your friends and Jesus. You wash your own feet as usual and settle in for dinner. Then something shocking happens.
Jesus Takes the Role of a Servant
John's Gospel tells us that Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist, and began washing his disciples' feet. This was completely unacceptable! Dinner had already started, so everyone's feet were already clean. Why was the Son of God taking on the role of the lowest servant?
Peter's reaction was immediate and strong: "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" When Jesus insisted, Peter declared, "No, you shall never wash my feet!"
Why Did Jesus Insist on Washing Feet?
Jesus's response to Peter reveals the deeper meaning: "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." This wasn't about cleaning dirt - it was about something much more profound.
A Picture of Sacrificial Love
Jesus was demonstrating that He, the divine Son of God, was also a servant who cleanses, purifies, and restores. He was showing His disciples that His upcoming death and resurrection would be the ultimate act of servant leadership - stooping low to wash away what we cannot clean ourselves.
The foot washing was a preview of the cross. Just as Jesus humbled Himself to wash dirty feet, He would humble Himself to die for our sins. His sacrificial love in the face of death would create new life and disarm the power of evil.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
After demonstrating this act of service, Jesus gave His followers a command: "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you."
The Challenge of Humble Service
This command requires us to do two difficult things:
Serve others humbly - even when it's uncomfortable or beneath our perceived status
Allow others to serve us - which requires vulnerability and the death of our ego
Who Would You Wash?
Consider these challenging questions: Would you be willing to wash the feet of:
A prisoner, regardless of their crime?
Someone homeless, sick, or dying?
Your enemy?
Someone whose politics you despise?
A difficult coworker or neighbor?
Someone from a different background or culture?
Remember, Jesus washed Judas's feet, knowing Judas would betray Him. He served the one who would cause nails to be driven through His own feet.
Breaking Down Labels
We live in a world of labels - political, social, economic, generational. But God calls us all by one name: children. When we wash each other's feet, we wash away the labels and see each person as God's beloved child.
The Power of Vulnerability in Community
In our consumer-driven church culture, we often break relationships when we become frustrated. But foot washing builds something different - a community based on vulnerability, trust, and sacrificial love that endures.
When we're willing to stoop low and serve others, and when we're humble enough to receive service from others, we create bonds that don't easily break. This kind of community reflects the heart of Jesus.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to practice the heart of foot washing in your daily relationships. Look for opportunities to serve others in ways that require humility - perhaps helping someone who can't repay you, listening to someone you disagree with, or simply being present for someone who's struggling.
Equally important, practice receiving service from others. Allow people to help you, encourage you, or care for you without feeling like you need to immediately reciprocate.
Ask yourself these questions:
Who in my life do I avoid serving because of pride or prejudice?
When someone offers to help me, do I graciously receive it or push them away?
How can I demonstrate Christ's humble love to someone who might not expect it from me?
What labels do I place on others that prevent me from seeing them as God's children?
The foot washing tradition reminds us that following Jesus means embracing both the humility to serve and the vulnerability to be served. In doing so, we discover the transformative power of sacrificial love that creates authentic community and reflects the heart of our servant King.
