One of the most important lessons in life is learning the art of humility. Regardless of what socioeconomic class we are in, we all struggle with humility. There are some people who cannot keep a job, because they are not humble. They do not know how to obey authority. They struggle with being taught, and they often believe that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Being humble can open up a great deal of opportunities. Humility has developed a negative reputation. Some have mistake the attitude as being weak, a push over, or a doormat. On the contrary, people who are humble are strong, stand up for themselves—and they are not made to be walked over.
Jesus is proof of that. We all remember the washing of the disciples’ feet. Jesus (before meeting his betrayal and ultimate death on the Cross) performed a great service for his disciples. He washed their dirty feet. When Peter’s turn came, he could not believe Jesus wanted to wash his feet and emphatically said to Jesus: “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” With those words, Peter wanted his hands and head washed—but Jesus assured him all that was necessary were the feet. After this, Jesus encouraged the disciples to wash one another’s feet. Jesus’ act of washing the disciples’ feet was another example of Jesus’ humility. Instead of being served and having his feet washed, the Master washed the feet of his servants.
This is how we should live our lives with one another—washing everyone’s feet with our actions, service, and kindness toward one another. What inhibits us from washing the feet of another is not the condition of the feet of the other person, but the condition of hearts. Some of us have too much pride to wash someone’s feet or to even allow someone to wash our feet. For us to wash feet, we have to be humble. We have to know our own need for cleansing and wholeness. When we are in touch with our place, we are moved to serve others and be a blessing to someone. We need to wash one another’s feet. The feet are one of the most intimate parts of the body, and feet often get dirty and smell.
No one really wants to wash dirty feet. Clean feet are often a strong indicator of the rest of the body. The status of our feet determines a great deal about our health, in addition to our hygiene. Feet can show diabetes, an overactive thyroid, or whether we have too much sugar in our bodies. Reflexology says that sectors of the feet are related to areas of our body. Jesus cleaning of the feet as cleaning the whole body is a spiritual example of reflexology. If the feet are clean, it takes care of the entire spiritual body. We have the opportunity to act as Jesus did and wash the feet of someone else.
Be a servant. The truth is regardless of where we come from or what we possess materially or who we feel we have power over, we must exercise all of who we are and what we have with humility. We need to wash someone’s feet. Jesus furthered his desire to cleanse each of us with the shedding of his blood on Calvary. It washes us clean of our sins. Let’s forgive someone. Let’s love someone. Let’s treat someone the way we would want to be treated. Let us wash one another’s feet.
