Dirty Feet

John chapter thirteen chronicles one of Jesus’ final acts of humility.  Jesus, the Son of God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, girded Himself with a towel, knelt down and washed His disciples’ feet.  Feet washing was a job for the lowest of slaves, but Jesus loved His disciples.  So on the eve of His crucifixion, He demonstrated His love by becoming the least.

He washed their feet one by one until he came to Simon Peter, who refused to be served by His master.  "You will never wash my feet—ever!" Peter said. But Jesus replied, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with Me."  So in typical Simon Peter fashion, he did an instantaneous, radical reaction.  "Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head” Peter replied.  If being washed by Jesus made him a part with Jesus, then Peter wanted all that he could.

Jesus’ reply is interesting.  "One who has bathed," Jesus told him, "doesn't need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean.

The blood that Christ shed on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins has cleansed us of all unrighteousness.  By grace through faith in Christ Jesus we are transformed into new creations, no longer enslaved to the wickedness of the flesh.  We have been declared righteous and guiltless. 

Yet we are still sojourners in this sin-filled earth.  And as a result, we get our feet dirty with the pollutants of this world.  That’s why it is imperative that we humbly come to Jesus and ask Him to wash our feet, to cleanse us.  We must confess our transgressions and our lawless deeds and trust in His abundant mercy and grace.  In this way we can be unstained by the world, and we will be completely clean.