Humility (Originally Posted on March 16, 2008)

John 13
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.[a]

2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

It is hard reading the gospels not to pick out favorite characters from Jesus' life. I think sometimes I pick out those people that I most associate myself with. That being said, Peter has always been one of my favorites. Later in life Peter is blessed with wisdom and discernment, he makes wise choices on a lot of important decisions. But here, here Peter reminds me of myself, sometimes too much mouth and not enough listening.

It is not that I don't understand where Peter was coming from. He didn't want to watch his master, his Lord, the incarnation of God himself humbled to do this task. By the same token, he obviously didn't want to humble himself and wash anyone else's feet either, such a lowly task. Notice that it is only after everyone has taken their seat and no one has humbled themselves to perform this task that Jesus rises and gathers the elements for the foot washing.

Remember that the Disciples have already been bickering among themselves about who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Their is definitely a hint of jealousy even among these Disciples of Christ. So as they take their places and Jesus looks around the room he must have been thinking to himself, :what will they do without me?" Jesus knew that the time to give himself over was at hand, he knew that he had taught his lessons and now it would be up to these men to carry on the task of preaching his word. How many times had he taught that the greatest must humble themselves, how many times had he himself humbled himself before others to teach them, they still didn't get it.

So Jesus showed them one last time, hoping I believe that when they looked back at the events of this night and they would be moved by his act of humility. So he washed their dirty, stinky feet. He left the seat of honor at the table and assumed the role of the least respected servant. Why?

Jesus wanted us to be left with a powerful thought. If he could humble himself before a rag tag band of fisherman, tax collectors, and even a betrayer then we can humble ourselves before anyone who walks this earth. If we say that we can't then we say we are better than Jesus. We don't often think in those terms, if we are honest we don't like to because it makes us really examine our actions.

However, if we are honest, each one of us knows that we are called to serve. We might not like the place or even the people we are called to witness and minister to. Fact is we don't have to, no we have to love them and we have to get past the worldly idea that we are better somehow than those we minister to and understand that the one who ministers to our soul everyday is far better than we are. So who are we to judge, who are we to say I won't humble myself?