Feet washing

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” – John 13.1-6

There have been some awful jobs through history. There was guy (gong farmer) who had to stir up human waste in medieval castle to release the ammonia that would kill the bugs in the clothes hung over the toilets. There were leech collectors. There were tanners and fullers who worked with urine all day everyday. There was the guy in Naas who 100 years ago would pass through homes real close to here to gather up the chamber pots to be dumped in his wagon.

And before all that there was the servant in Jesus’ day whose job it was to wash the feet of the guests. It was a dirty, filthy, stinky job. It was the job the lowest of the servants normally had to do. There was dust and mud and sweat and stick and even worse, but custom said that it had to be done.

But when Jesus and the disciples and Jesus got to the hired room for supper there were no servants. They couldn't eat with dirty feet, so they either had to wash their own feet or someone had to do it. I can see them all waiting uncomfortably.

Then, I am sure to their surprise, Jesus got up, filled a pitcher, grabbed a basin and a towel, and started washing their feet! And, except for Peter’s protest, they let Him do it!

Jesus took His servant role talked about is Philippians seriously. He proved in a very real way that service was what He and His people should do.

How about you and me? How many of us would jump at the chance to wash others’ feet? I’m not talking about a church ordinance, but how many of us would kneel down and wash the dirty feet of someone who walked dirt streets in the heat and a road where animal waste was rampant?

Jesus is talking here simply about serving each other. A lot of folks won’t even make everyone a cup of tea or clean the church toilet or set up chairs or mop the floor.

How about a simple question for out self examination. When is the last time that you or I really took the chance to serve?