I wrote this article, on footwashing, about five years ago for ninetyandnine.com
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Seriously, My Feet Are Clean - Footwashing in the 21st Century
When the announcement was made from the pulpit that your church was going to have a foot washing, did your heart leap for joy, or did you start making plans to be out of town?
Seriously, have you ever stopped to think why Jesus washed His disciples’ feet? Could it be just that they had disgustingly dirty feet?
We learn from Genesis that the people throughout Bible times would set aside a place where a guest might wash his feet (
Genesis 18:4, 19:2, 24:32, 43:24), and they would bring the traveler water to do so. Their guests washed their own feet, much like your overnight guest might use your shower facilities.
Stop for a moment and realize it was the Master who washed the feet of the servants, not vice versa. He did this solely for the purpose to teach them to serve others, and that the greater should be a servant to the lesser.
To wash their feet was a practical service. There was water available because the disciples walked on dirty dusty trails and streets, unless perhaps it had recently rained. Then they would have been walking through mud. Don’t forget that oxen and mules walked these same paths and it was quite possible to step in some “exhaust pollution” of that days’ mode of transportation. He washed their feet as a humble act of kindness and service to them because their feet were dirty. It was customary 2,000 years ago for water basins and towels to be provided for your guests to wash their own feet. If you owned a slave, you might even have had your slave wash the feet of your guests.
That Made Sense Then…
When was the last time you went to a foot washing and actually needed your feet washed? Seriously, my feet aren’t dirty. But my shoes could use a good shining. My car got pretty dirty driving to church—could you wash that for me, please?
I shared these thoughts, tongue-in-cheek, with my pastor a few months ago. Months later as we planned a Good Friday service, I was happy when pastor asked if I would want to help in “washing the saints’ cars” that Friday afternoon before watching Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and taking communion together. So from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., we washed anyone’s car that stopped by the church.
If we want to be Apostolic in what we do and follow Christ’s example, we should perform a valuable service to our brother or sister that would actually be of service to them. Remember, the disciples had dirty feet that needed washing. The Master blessed them with a wonderful act of kindness!
But My Feet are Clean
So many view footwashing today as, well, just so weird—even Apostolics. And when Apostolics think something is weird, well, that’s just scary.
The term “random acts of kindness” got stuck in my mind from something I read some time ago. That’s how we should live. Think how blessed someone will feel when you bestow a “help” upon them (
1 Corinthians 12:28).
■ Take your mower and go mow someone’s lawn.
■ Load up your snow blower and go clean out someone’s driveway.
■ Take someone to dinner.
■ Watch someone’s kids so they can have a night out.
I’m sure you can think of 20 more random acts of kindness (or helps) that you can bestow on someone that would mean so much more to them than washing their feet, which hopefully in our day and age of indoor plumbing with baths and showers, are already clean.
But you could point out that they can easily cut their own grass or shovel their own snow. And you’d be right.
I can also wash my own feet.
The Essence of His Teaching
If we would allow ourselves to think about what was being taught to the disciples when Christ washed their feet … well, I just think we may have missed Christ’s intent on this lesson if we think washing someone’s “clean” feet is what our Lord wanted us to be doing here in America in this century.
I think there is laughter in heaven when Christ looks down at us and sees and hears some of the many things we major on. I wonder—will He look at some us when we get to the throne and say, “You spent all your time preaching about what?”
I hope that I see the day that we Apostolics might better discern the Scriptures and come to a realization that some things were written for doctrinal purposes and others were just written as a history of things they did in their day and time. (Like that Holy Kiss thing. Really brother, I love ya, but a handshake will do me just fine.)
Some tell me that’s wishful thinking; that most of us made up our minds (or had them made up for us) many years ago.
I’ve been told I’m just dreaming! I did go “north” of 50 about four years ago, so I guess that would make me an old man, so I am well qualified then to “dream dreams” as stated in
Acts 2:17.
So I’ll dream of a church with people who truly love one another and do humble acts of service to others in their demonstrations of that love. If you stop by my house with a dirty car, I’ll probably wash it for you. If you need a ride somewhere, I’ll try to accommodate. If you need your house painted, I’d be glad to help.
But really, my feet are clean and hopefully yours are, too!
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