Taking Up the Posture

He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?"
Jesus answered him, "What I'm doing you don't understand now, but afterwards you will know."
"You will never wash my feet—ever!" Peter said.
Jesus replied, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with Me."..........

So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.

-john 13

In my life, I am always living between extremes of being burnt out, with little time for the essentials like rest and food and having a complete excess of free time to the point that its no longer restful, it puts a drain on my soul. But when it comes down to it, I am much more productive when I have less time. Priorities always become clear in these moments.

In this moment, this is true for Jesus too. His hour has come. 33 years on the earth has all boiled down to these last few moments. I think you can see how aware Jesus is of these moments because he chooses to spend it with those he has become closest with, in an intimate setting, over dinner. No one there wants to be anywhere else. But there is so much weighing on these moments. The man that they have spent every waking moment with, has invested in them, has held them close, believed in them is about to say good-bye. Can you imagine the mix of emotions gathering in this silence?

But Jesus also knew that now it was time to show them the full extent of his love. Hold your breath…this will be his biggest expression. He who defines love will demonstrate it now.

I was in a wedding for the first time two summers ago to celebrate a couple who were both amazingly creative. I loved being in the wedding for the sole purpose that I was fully present for all of it, because I was a participant. But one of the most beautiful parts of the wedding was that they chose to say their vows washing one another’s feet. It was an unforgettable image. Their vow to one another was a vow to consistently consider what might be the best outcome for the other before themselves.

But Jesus chose to wash the feet of the disciples because it had practical relevance. No one had covered shoes and everyone walked miles on dusty roads. Jesus probably was not just rinsing off these feet. He had layers of dirt to uncover.

Jesus asked me to do the same. To wash the feet? Perhaps this means to wash people of all the effects of the pain, destruction, emptiness, loneliness, and exhaustion we pick up simply by living in this world every day. Maybe it means doing all that it takes to offer healing, fulfillment, community, and rest. Perhaps he is saying make it your life’s work that you are defined as a person who brings about these things.