“Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:8)
Jesus’ illustration of the incarnation must have made little sense to the disciples at the time. Peter resisted the foot washing (John 13:1-17), and his words probably express the sentiments of the others. What was Jesus doing? They had spent three years coming to a realization of His greatness; now He was redefining What Greatness Is. It didn’t look anything like what a victorious, reigning Messiah ought to look like.
And think about what He was touching – dirty, sinful feet. The treacherous feet of Judas which carried him to the dark, secret places of Jerusalem on wicked business. And what about the stubborn feet of Peter, standing resolute in the courtyard while his cowardly mouth denied any association with Jesus. And then there was the fleeing feet of all the others for whom the cross was just too much to take. They too were dirty in more ways than one. Yet, Jesus knelt before their feet and washed them. He served them with humility.
What about us? How can we frail humans look down on others even when the King of kings would not? How can we hold others in contempt when the Alpha and Omega carefully held the most contemptable extremities of these very earthly men in His hands and cleaned them? How can we maintain human pride when the exalted Lord refuses to?
We praise this high and holy God for His power and majesty, especially during this time of the year. But do we also praise Him for His humility? We can, we should because He is a humble God.
Again, He didn’t ride into this world on a gilded chariot. He left the glory of heaven to be born in the cruelness of earth. He was given birth by a peasant girl in an unsanitary stable of all places. We are not worthy of uttering His name, but He tells us to call Him Father and Friend.
How many of us suffer from the illusion of an unknowable God? The Bible says, He is loving and forgiving; but has that really sunk into our heart? This Christmas, consider the humility of God. The high and holy One is never inaccessible to someone with a contrite spirit. He encourages our intimacy with Him. He’ll even wash our feet.
Have a beautiful weekend. Make it better by worshiping The LORD with those who understand His greatness because they have seen it and sensed it up close and personal.
All For Jesus – Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else.
Vic Alvarado 