Post from June 25, 2023

“👟 RSD 1153 ✅ Verse: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” — John 13:15

The “I” in today’s verse is Jesus; He had just washed the feet of His disciples—which probably sounds a little weird to us, but that was absolutely a thing back in the day. Think about it: these people in the 1st century were all walking on dirt roads in sandals on the regular. So, upon entering someone’s home, you know, you washed your feet off a bit—it’s not like your host could bust out a Swiffer WetJet back then, so tracking dirt into someone’s home was more of a task to remedy. The houses who employed domestic help (or were hospitable homes with family members charged with doing this) had people wash your feet for you because you were their guest. “Go ahead and sit; we’ve got you.” You know I went to Google to try and tie words together to chip away at the point, but, y’all, this Wikipedia article on hospitality was right under the Oxford, and nobody was beating this today. “Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill.” Washing the feet of your guests was an act of hospitality: “Hey, come in from the rush of the day and stay a bit.”

Jesus tells His disciples here that He’s setting an example of the hospitality they should show to each other. Peter (one of the disciples) didn’t want Jesus to wash his feet because that was considered a menial task, and he felt that Jesus was above that. And, Peter wasn’t exactly wrong in his thinking; he was just a little off-base. After all, Jesus was their leader, and, as they were figuring out, their Lord. I mean, He’s not the guy you’re expecting to perform (what’s considered) menial tasks. But, Jesus warned Peter that he was missing the whole point (well, more than one point). The first was in the symbolism that we all need Jesus to cleanse us (of our sins), and that the cleansing is not something you can do without Him. So, Jesus was both physically and spiritually cleaning them. The second comes from this: Jesus was big on leading by example. Jesus wanted to show love, to show hospitality, and, there’s the point that if He is willing to serve others, nobody else has any excuse not to.

If you’re familiar with Christianity, you know that the celebration of Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’s birth. So, you know that saying that’s always said around Christmas? “Goodwill toward men”? That’s why that Wikipedia article caught my eye. “The host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill.” We get that saying at Christmas from the King James translation of Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.” What’s interesting is that in the NIV translation, Luke 2:14 explains it with slightly different language: “Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” The “His favor rests” part being the same part as “good will toward men” means that God holds goodwill in high regard.

We hear the word “favor” in a lot of ways, but the best description I found of God’s favor is “God stepping into one’s situation to make a worthwhile difference” (Vanguard). From Merriam-Webster, goodwill is, “benevolent interest or concern.” Benevolent. You know, like someone (THE One) who’s omnibenevolent? God’s favor, His way of making a “worthwhile difference” in our lives, is found in His goodwill “benevolent interest…concern” towards us. It’s all intertwined. So, Jesus is showing His disciples that hospitality matters in today’s verse. He’s showing them that it matters to have goodwill toward others. Washing feet isn’t fun, (and, y’all, He would’ve had to be on His knees on the floor to do it), but it’s the kind of thing a person does to make someone else’s day a little easier, to show them that they are seen and valued; it’s the kind of thing you do when you love someone. That’s what Jesus is showing the disciples (and us as well): you do the things because you love someone; you serve because you love. Jesus loves unconditionally, and that’s the example He set for all of us.

So, there are no menial tasks, not really anyway. And, it’s not just about washing feet. It’s looking out for people. “Text me when you get home. Let’s get you something to eat. I prayed for you today.” It’s bringing soup to a sick friend even though you have a million things to do that day. It’s watching the teacher next door’s class so she could use the restroom, even though that’s the only time you have to grade. It’s helping a friend pack. It’s holding the door for someone who’s carrying a million things…and they aren’t right behind you and are moving sloowwwwwllllyyyyy. It’s noticing something that needs to be done at church or at work and just doing it, knowing the act will likely be unnoticed…and that you might have to do it again. It’s holding your friend’s hair when she’s throwing up. It’s allowing your significant other to “win this one” because it’s over something that’s ultimately insignificant, and neither of you occupies the moral high ground on it anyway because it’s a “nothing” issue. It’s picking up trash that’s not yours at a fast food place so the employees don’t have to do extra at the end of a long shift. It’s dropping what you’re doing and helping someone look for a lost pet. It’s listening to people when you don’t think you have the time. Service is often inconvenient (I mean, Jesus had been traveling all day too). Service isn’t glamorous. Service is that corner of love that doesn’t always get dusted because it’s wayyyy over there, and it’s super annoying to get the dust out of that little crevice. But, if Jesus, the King of the World, King of the Universe, chose to humble Himself to dust off that corner of love, “to wash common dust from our feet,” then why shouldn’t we choose the same?

I heard the song (in the radio pic) today before my run. I liked the whole “weary traveler” aspect, especially since today involved the weary feet of travelers. I didn’t want anyone reading this feeling badly if your journey is draining you just now. It’s ok to be tired. God knows you’re tired. You’re not going to be able to wash everyone’s feet all the time, especially when you can barely muster the energy to wash your own. Washing feet should always be our goal, but it’s ok to ask for help with the towel and the water. Lean on God and the people He sent your way. Ask God for strength; let His angels (and Earth angels) help you out; get some rest; and, wash feet when you can.”