Pedicures give a fresh look and feel to otherwise unattractive feet and toes. Our world is filled with hate, divisiveness and self-centered ugliness. Jesus knows how to give it a fresh look, and it involves dirty feet.
Jesus had invited his 12 disciples to a private dinner just for them, celebrating the festival of the Passover. But it didn’t take them long to ruin it. They started arguing, blaming each other, perhaps even cursing each other. Dirty words. Dirty souls.
The argument was about which of them was the greatest.
We know that there wasn’t a servant in the upper room to wash their feet—a normal custom in those days. It would be like you going out to eat and your server asking you to come back into the hot, sweaty kitchen and wash dishes first so that they can serve your meal.
That likely stirred the pot of pride among these men.
“What?! Are you kidding?!” Not one of the 12 disciples thought of volunteering to scrub another man’s toes. That’s gross. That’s messy. And Jesus watched. Without anger or disappointment, Jesus solved the problem.
Jesus got gross. He got messy. He scrubbed between 120 dirty toes.
The Bible says, “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’” (John 13:12,13).
Jesus “returned to his place.” See that? “His place” is much higher, much more distinguished, much more authoritative. The place and position of Jesus is not student but Teacher, and not servant but Lord.
Jesus says “I am.” That should have jolted his disciples as they recall that very Hebrew word being the name of the holy, heavenly Lord God in the Old Testament: Yaweh, Jehovah. That is Jesus’ place.
But he left his place. Washing feet isn’t his job, he shouldn’t have to do it, but he does it anyway. Dealing with sin and sinners isn’t his job, he shouldn’t have to do it, but he does it anyway.
Leaving his place in heaven—just like he left his place at the table—Jesus strongly, gently serves you, washes you, loves you, forgives you, and makes you clean.
Jesus sacrifices his place to change your place. Jesus sacrifices his life to change your life. How?
Besides saving you from your sins, he sets you apart for a purpose.
“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” (John 13:14,15).
PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for leaving your place because you love me. Thank you for leaving your place in order to forgive me. Help me to see you as more important than my place, and to serve others like you would serve them. Amen.
WATCH THIS: Here is Sunday’s sermon message that tells more of the story https://crosslifepf.org/messages/jesus-washes-dirty-feet/