Wash Each Other’s Feet (Part 2)

John 13 (NIV)

¹²When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. ¹³"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Feet represent the lowest point of person’s life, those places in one’s heart which are hidden from everyone’s view. In order to be able to engage with these points in someone’s life there is a certain state of heart and mind which we need to embrace.

1) Stooping down to people’s feet requires for you to first stoop in your heart

Even though Jesus knew who He was relative to the disciples (i.e. His position as a Teacher was higher v13), He did not let this stop Him from stooping down to wash their feet. In order to address issues which people face or have faced in their lives there is need to set aside your titles, qualifications, wealth, status etc. and be in a place of humility. It is only from a place where you are not caught up in your own self-importance that you can serve others with compassion and with dignity- you come down to their level.

2) Operate in a loving manner and with strict confidentiality

People’s feet are rarely in the open and subject to scrutiny as are other prominent members of one’s body (i.e. face, hands). In washing other’s feet, you get to see things which other people never get to see. The person letting you get exposed to the crookedness of toe nails, sometimes the stench (smell) of the feet, cracked heels or disfigured toes are being vulnerable to you by letting their guard down. You must therefore be prepared to extend love and grace when people open up about those things they are struggling with (addictions, bad habits etc.) or things they need assistance with. They should know with no shadow of doubt that whatever they tell you is in strict confidence and will not get to be known by anyone else.

3) Help them come out from where they are but don’t get caught up as well

Jesus gave the instruction that we should wash one another’s feet. He didn’t just say wash other’s but rather one another. You too have need for your feet to be washed. We need to wash one another’s feet in all the different domains of life spiritual, physical, relational, emotional and material. If there is something which you are able to assist someone with, do not hold back. It’s not enough to know what to do, you need to do it. As you do this you will be blessed.

Embrace what Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.” [Amplified Version]