“Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

John 13:17

I fondly remember the most joyful moment of my life. It was the day I washed the feet of a voodoo priest. Yep, you read that right! Jean Pierre, was a voodoo priest, actively practicing in Haiti. I suppose sometimes you wonder just how far God will push you, and I will say this day, I was pushed far beyond anything I had the courage to do on my own. I can’t really tell you how it all went down, but I can recall the strong prompting of the Spirit, and the Power that surrounded Jean Pierre and I, as our eyes met while my bare knees knelt on rocky ground, washing his dirty, crusty feet. It was a feeling I haven’t had since; a feeling I can’t even put into words. But God took me to a different realm that day! And He brought me an unequivocal joy of knowing that what I offered Jean Pierre was a little piece of heaven. But I also felt a joy of awe and adoration that God loved us both enough to allow us to experience this moment together.

Jesus tells his disciples “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).

Obedience is a hard thing to swallow isn’t it? Just the word itself can make us rebellious. But Jesus clearly tells us here to follow His example and wash the feet of others.

But washing the feet of others doesn’t necessarily mean that you must get down and dirty with their toe cheese. Washing the feet of others can be done in many ways.

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

God’s Spirit that works in each of us, is not limited in what He can do or how He is expressed. He has given us all gifts that we can use, in partnership with the fruit the Spirit produces, to be His representative to others. But it starts with a willingness to humble ourselves’ and be obedient to His promptings. Whether it’s being respectful instead of disparaging, paying compliments instead of hurling criticism, showing love and respect by overlooking the faults we see in others, offering kind words to our enemies, or sacrificing our time to meet the needs of someone else – even when those things go against our natural instincts –we exemplify Christ and wash the feet of others when we express our love to people this way.

Now, don’t get me wrong. It can be very challenging, especially when you are moved out of your comfort zone. But the joy of obedience; the joy of serving others; the joy of sharing the love of Christ in your actions and words — these blessings are far greater than any sacrifice of self it takes to obey. You may even bless the Kingdom of Heaven with a few more souls, and for that, there is no greater joy!

As you go into this new week, look for ways to wash the feet of those around you. Bless them by allowing yourself to be used by God. And don’t be surprised if you end up being washed as well. It might just end up being the fondest blessing you will ever receive.

12 words

No greater joy exists than the blessings bestowed through obedience and love.

 

Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us that the greatest love of all is selfless and humble service to others. Help me to pay attention to the promptings of your Spirit and to not be afraid or too busy to follow through with your blessings, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. We know that your message of Salvation is best heard when we move into the world with you, so Jesus, help me to walk with you as I walk into the world today. Thank you for loving me enough to allow me to experience the blessings of obedience and the joy of serving others. Amen.

Scripture Reflection:
John 13:12-17
Ephesians 4:2-3
John 15:9-12