Too Proud to Wash Another's Feet?

Too Proud to Wash Another's Feet?

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet"

(John 13:14).

The pitchers and the basin and the towel were all there, ready for use, but no one pretended to see them. They took their place at the table, but no one gave any sign of intending to play the part of servant that night. And why was that?

Because on the way to the Upper Room they had been contending which of them was greatest. It was not the first time they had quarrelled about their places in Christ's Kingdom. James and John, you remember, had tried to steal a march upon the rest of the disciples by getting their mother Salome to ask Jesus to promise beforehand that the two highest thrones should be given to them. On this particular evening, I should judge, the contention had been particularly keen and bitter, and so they came into the room, as Dr. Dods says, hot and angry and full of resentment, like so many sulky schoolboys. And no one would condescend to discharge this humble but grateful duty of feet-washing. John would not wash the feet of Peter; Peter would not wash the feet of Simon the Canaanite; Simon would not wash the feet of Thomas. For to wash the feet of the rest was to declare oneself the servant of all, and that was precisely what each was resolved he would not do. They stood on their dignity--a poor sort of thing to stand upon. There they sat, looking at the table, looking at the ceiling, arranging their dress, each resolved he would not confess himself a whit inferior to the others by performing the slave's office of washing their feet. - John Daniel Jones

I would like to insert a pennies worth here. I to have been honored to have my feet washed but it was without basin and washtowel. last year, Art Katz, traveled to Arkansas, Fort Smith, right after he got sick and held a weekend meeting.
On the first night, my wife and I was seated at the same table while a lot of folks were rushing about clearing the room and leaving. Art found out we had no place to stay that night as we were planning on attending the entire weekend of meetings. Art, in his weakened state, rose and found a dear brother and sister who had room and introduced us and secured a place to stay for us.
I was most honored and humbled, that a man of God, such as Art is, would do this. And in one breath I wanted to shout and say, "Lord, you won't wash my feet," but then in the next, "not just my feet, Lord, but my whole body."

I pray we don't just wash each others feet, actually washing feet, to just fulfill the mandate. But actually take the lower road and humble ourselves for the less fortunate, the poor stinky people who are our brothers and sisters.
Praise be to God for this glorious mercy and His strength provides the grace to accomplish it.

tjservant wrote:

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet"

Why is it that modern Christians will observe the communion ritual which was introduced earlier in the evening, but ignore this part?

ginnyrose

You have hit on the crux of the matter, dorcas, when you talk about Peter not wanting to be washed on Jesus' terms but on his own. Thank you, that is good!

How much more diligent should we be to represent His heart to others.

Amen.

Jesus was also saying goodbye. He knew what was coming and He was doing this as a symbolic gesture. Many times that I have washed feet, The Lord has moved me somewhere, each time, it was saying goodbye, and moving on, or in Jesus case, He was going to the Cross! Its also a place where you lose your pride if you have it, and it humbles you. Jesus gave them an example to follow. Humility, and gentleness, meekness, and kindness, and putting others needs ahead of your own. Its beautiful. I would love to see more churches have a time of deep prayer and intercession, and foot washing times......it breaks bondages.

In Him
Sheila