Are you willing to serve?

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.” (John 13:3-5 NIV)

When Jesus got up and began to wash the disciples’ feet I’m sure you could have heard a pin drop. From what Luke recorded (Luke 22:24) this may have been prompted by an argument that the disciples were having over who among them was the greatest. If we have this scenario correct, while they were arguing Jesus got up, filled a basin with water, and began to wash and dry each of their feet. They were arguing over who was the greatest and Jesus assumed the role of a slave.

When Jesus came to Peter he seemed to realise that this was not the way it should be. He initially refused: “No, you shall never wash my feet.” When Jesus told him that if he refused he could not have any part with him, Peter changed his tune: “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” But it was his feet that needed washed, not his entire body.

Foot washing was needed in their culture. Walking on dusty roads with open sandals meant that by just walking outside your feet needed to be washed, especially when you entered a house so that you did not track dust and dirt everywhere. Usually if a home had slaves, one had the task of washing guests’ feet when they came into the home. This was a practical gesture which would bring refreshment to the guest.

At the meal that evening, Jesus and his disciples were not in a home that belonged to any of them. There were no slaves. So one of them should have been the one to wash the feet of the others. But this seems to have not been on their minds. They were more concerned about asserting that they were greater than this, that this was beneath their dignity. So Jesus did it.

What was the point Jesus was making? Fortunately for us, he explained it to the disciples.

“When 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. ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’” (John 13:12-17)

Jesus was setting an example for his disciples – and us today as his disciples. He wasn’t starting a ceremony of foot-washing, as some practice, but was simply emphasising that as he would do whatever was needed to help others his followers need to do the same. We will never be so great that such things could be beneath us. The blessing is not in being great but in doing whatever is needed for others.

Most cultures have certain tasks that many think are beneath them, be it cleaning toilets, cleaning up after someone has been sick, or washing feet. If we are to follow Jesus’ example we will help out in any menial task that needs done, even if we think it is ‘beneath’ us.

Jim McGuiggan commented in The God of the Towel that in the upper room that evening there were twelve lords and one servant, when it should have been the other way around. Which are we?

Image by Jon Galloway: traditional site of the upper room in Jerusalem.

Readings for next week: John 9-13