I'm humbled by John 13, but, just how humbled am I? This chapter details Jesus' last meal with His disciples. So much takes place in the account, but nothing stands out like the detailing of Jesus washing His disciples feet. I, and most of us have seen the obvious of what Jesus is modeling; a willingness to serve in humility. Not seeing any task being beneath us. Service that is motivated by love. His love moving on and through us.
There's one aspect of it that's easy to pass over. Judas Iscariot was also among those disciples. Judas, who had already agreed to betray Him. Judas, who seemed to hold contempt for many of His ways. Judas, whose heart Jesus knew, and whose actions of betrayal Jesus also already knew. Judas, whose dirt encrusted feet, Jesus took in His hands and....washed.
The disciples were a human lot. They spent a great deal of time together. There were times of friction, disagreement, even open disputes. The Bible tells us it was so. Yet, they were bound together by their deep love and respect for their Master. All of them except Judas, and again, Jesus knew this.
I don't think I would have a great deal of trouble washing the feet of Peter, John, James, and the rest. There may have been disagreements, but at heart was the bond that we shared. But Judas, who I knew despised me? He who sought to deliver me into the hands of my enemies. He who thought I was a great fool for the path I had chosen to walk and how I chose to walk it. Could I wash such a person's feet? Jesus did?
With His death rapidly approaching, His mind filled with apprehension about what He knew lay before Him, He could still give of Himself not only to the other 11, but to Judas as well. Judas, who was about to deliver the deep and painful blow of betrayal. Betrayal by one He loved. He took the dirty feet of the one who had hurt Him so deeply, and washed them just as lovingly as he did the other 11. Such wondrous love indeed. I hear the question of His Spirit to me. Does that same wondrous love abide in me? In the face of betrayal, mockery, rejection, even hatred, would I take the feet of my enemy, and in love, wash them? I want to believe that I would. I hope that I will, and I know it's what He calls me to. If you profess to be His, it's what He calls you to as well.
How do we answer that call today? Who has hurt us, used us, betrayed us. We can forgive them, but can we lovingly serve them? Where does anger and resentment still linger? Such feelings may be a "luxury" we allow ourselves, but He doesn't. The cross was His destination. It's ours as well. We can't really wash the feet of those who have hurt us most deeply apart from it. The cross is the symbol of the proof of His love and forgiveness. We cannot fully love and forgive apart from it. It is only by way of the cross that we may love and forgive those who in no way deserve that love.
Corrie Ten Boom and her sister were sent to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in the occupied Netherlands. Her sister died there. After the end of the war, Ten Boom was at a Christian gathering when she, in shock, saw the man who was a guard at the camp. A man who had a part in the killing of her sister. He recognized her as well. He came to her and told her how Christ had come into His heart and life, transforming him. All she could feel was anger, even hatred. Her choice was to hold to it, or die to it. She chose death....at His cross. She chose forgiveness. Sometimes we think that's impossible, but at the cross, all things are possible. Even Perfect Love.
Blessings,
Pastor O