Peter stared in confusion at him as the man gently lifted Peter’s foot out of the water and held it in his hands. “Wait, what are you doing? You can’t wash my feet!” He looked around frantically for a servant, someone else to do this unwanted task of washing the filth from Peter’s feet, but no servants were there. No one wanted any part of washing their feet. No one but this man.

“Peter, Peter,” the man gently said, “If I don’t wash your feet, you’ll have no part of me.” 

Peter stiffened, then relaxed as the man’s meaning sank in. This man before him was Jesus, his master, the one Peter loved. If the only way to fellowship with the Master was by letting him wash his feet, Peter would let him.

“Here! Please….wash my head and my hands too,” Peter eagerly cried out, reaching his hands to Jesus.

Jesus smiled as he set one of Peter’s feet back in the basin filled with warm water and picked up his other foot, gently scrubbing it with a rag. “Those who have had a bath only need their feet washed, their whole body is clean…but not every one of you,” Jesus looked around at the other disciples gathered around Peter. 

Jesus’ meaning was lost on Peter but I wonder if Jesus looked Judas in the eye as he said those words. I wonder if Judas caught his meaning; the enemy had already put in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus. I wonder if this was one last opportunity for Judas to come clean.

 This is a story I’ve heard so many times growing up it church, the meaning has grown dull. If fact, when I hear it now, I knowingly nod remembering we should follow Jesus’ example of being a servant.

In Exodus 21, we learn about a law regarding slaves. A Hebrew slave would serve his master for 6 years and then during the 7th year, he had the option to be freed. If the slave had taken a wife and had children during his years as a slave, he would be freed but his family would not. If he loved his master and family, he could choose to remain as a voluntary slave. The master would then mark the slave by using an awl (a very sharp metal tool) to pierce his ear, a symbol of obedience so that everyone would know he wanted to remain a slave to his master. He could have been freed but he stayed for love. 

Jesus willingly came to the earth in the form of a lowly servant. He did so because He loved us. He could have been freed, but he stayed for love. He died on the cross to provide salvation for us. He became a slave because He loved us. 

As I read about Jesus taking the role of a servant and washing the disciples’ feet in John 13 this week, I saw something different. Instead of only seeing an example to serve others and only seeing Peter almost disrespective in his response to Jesus, I saw Peter eagerly wanting every part of his being restored to fellowship with his Master. Jesus’ meaning became clear to me that we always need our feet washed before we can fellowship with Him.

I love how Jesus used examples the people could relate to and it was no different for the disciples. As he washed their feet, He told them their whole body was clean and those that had a bath only needed to wash their feet.

See, in those days, people had to walk to a public bath house to bathe. After washing they would dress and slip into their sandals and walk home through the streets. Their streets were different than ours. No sewers. No garbage disposal services. Their streets were dirty and littered with trash. So even though they had just come from bathing, they would need to wash their feet when they got home.

When we come to the cross, we are washed in the blood of the lamb. Do you understand those “church” words? When we realize we have a need for a savior and we ask Jesus into our heart, we are washed all over. 

I love this example from J. Vernon McGee: “When we walk through this world, we are defiled and get dirty. We become disobedient, and sin gets into our lives. I do not believe that any believer goes through a day without getting just a little dirty. He says that we can not have fellowship with Him if we are dirty. So the washing of the feet is the cleansing in order to restore us to fellowship.”

It’s peculiar to me that I sing this song to my children without thinking about Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. I sing, “Be careful little feet where you go, Be careful little feet where you go, For the Father up above is looking down in love, Be careful little feet where you go.”

And now I don’t know if I’ll ever sing that song again without thinking of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Now I’ll remember that “the feet speak of the walk, and when you and I become disobedient, we are not walking in His way.”

I’ll remember that every day I get a little dirty as I walk through this world and I can’t fellowship with God if I don’t confess that sin. 1 John 1:6-7 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin.”

Before this week, I would’ve told you I don’t have sin in my life. I mean, I do sin and I do ask forgiveness. Sometimes. When I’m not distracted and I remember my sin. But am I daily being washed in Jesus’ words from the filth I get on my feet as I walk through this world? Daily? No.

But Amanda, you say, you are spending your first 5 minutes or more with Jesus every day! We know this because you told us!

You’re right. I am. BUT if I have sinned and not confessed that sin, then my daily reading is just emptiness. If I’m not allowing Jesus to wash my feet, then I can’t have any part of Him. 

This week as I read John 13, the Holy Sprit revealed the truths hidden in God’s Word and the message became clear. It’s a message God has repeatedly been telling me over the past month. It’s a message beyond being a servant and following the example of Jesus Christ. It’s a message to spend time with Jesus first, to confess my sins from the worldly filth I walk through daily, to have my feet washed by Him daily. I can’t be used by God unless I first spend time in fellowship with Him. And I can’t fellowship with Him unless I’ve been restored to fellowship by the cleansing of my feet. 

I wonder if I’ve been missing out on joy because I haven’t been daily washing my feet?

If we are missing out on joy today, it’s because we are out of fellowship with God. We need to go to Him and confess. 

When we are out of fellowship with God, it’s like we have dirty, stinky feet. The odor is offensive to those around us and keeps us from the most important One. So let’s wash them! Here are 3 steps to being restored to fellowship with Jesus:

1. Confess our sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
2. Be restored. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1. To restore means to wash his feet, bring him back to a place of fellowship with God. We can help a brother or sister who has fallen into sin but it is crucial we make sure our own feet are washed before we can wash the feet of another. 
3. Experience joy. May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

I’ll leave you with one last thought:

When we allow Jesus to wash our feet, to cleanse us with His words, we are putting our feet into His hands, which means that we are completely yielded to Him.

Will you wash your feet this week?

Until next time,

The Farm Wyfe

Verses to look up:

• Psalm 119:9
• John 15:3
• Ephesians 5:25-26
• 1 John 1:9

Jesus washed us today through the word He has spoke to us. Will you be washed today?

Linking up at #wordswithwinter at mecoffeeandjesus.com today!