As a pastor, you obtain a wealth of knowledge about people’s lives. You see the joy of new life in a young family. You cry with the weary and saddened. You wring your hands in the vexation of the moment as young life slips into eternity. And you see all kinds of life. I’ve seen families torn apart in the death of their ninety-year-old mother because each child wanted a larger portion of the estate. I’ve seen extreme acts of hatred and equally captivating displays of love.
One particular display of love involved feet. This act of love was given by one relative; the grandmother was the recipient of this love. The grandmother had bent and aged feet, worn and weary with years of intense work and now failing health. A family member had asked grandma if there was anything that she would appreciate and the grandmother simply said that her feet had not been washed for some time. After a three-second pause, a quick scan of her granny’s feet, and a stifled gulp she said something to the effect of this: “I’d be delighted to wash your feet.”
Feet are funny things. They stay hidden most of our lives in a pair of socks and shoes, tucked inside of sandals, and relegated to hanging out under the table during meal times. They sweat, they bear the brunt of the body’s weight every time we stand. In old age, they not only wrinkle but they scab over with sores and scaly skin. I don’t often like to make such challenged statements about the condition of a person’s physical appearance, but in this case, the act of love becomes an even greater expression the more you comprehend that these were not rose-scented, perfectly pedicured feet; this pair of feet revealed all 90-plus years of strenuous labor and failing health.
If we are to understand love (this very important tool in the tool belt of discipleship) then we must understand what it takes to show love. Love is not the mere cooing of those gentle words, “I love you.” Love is an action or display of determined kindness toward the person to whom we are communicating those words, “I love you.” Love is best seen when it becomes difficult. Love shows its finest colors in the difficulty and strain by which it is carried out. So in order to be quantitatively bountiful in love, there must be an element of awkwardness and unpleasantness to such a display. This is why I chose the above illustration of feet.
Jesus wanted to display an element of his love for his disciples and he chose feet. He chose feet that would have been dusty, sweaty, and covered in all kinds of filth from the market and the busy Jerusalem streets. He chose feet that may not have been pretty to view: we all know instances of what athlete’s foot and certain fungi can do to toenails and feet. But the more messy the work, the more Jesus’ display of genuine care and servitude highlights the extreme nature of his love. Jesus did not shy away from this unpleasant task; he took it on to demonstrate the greatness of his love. Jesus did not count the cost and decide it wasn’t worth it. He saw that the task was demeaning and much below his pay grade and took it on.
Jesus did not back down from loving the disciples even when it reduced him to the role of a servant washing feet. This was a servant’s job. Somehow the servant was absent at that very moment. Jesus noted it and made full use of the servant’s absence. Jesus took on the position of washing smelly feet for those he had come to love for these past three years. One by one, Jesus slid the bowl of water across the sandy floor and removed sweaty leather sandals. Jesus’ strong hands lovingly clutched each tired foot and washed away the dirt and sand of the day’s travels. Sore and aching feet were massaged by the Creator’s touch. The more those feet throbbed and smelled, the more Jesus’ love shone through.
Scripture states, “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, 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 to you.’” (John 13:12-15 ESV).
Does Jesus want us to love by washing each other’s feet? Is that the point? No. Jesus is asking us to see both this small example of his love, along with the biggest example: the Cross. Jesus is allowing us to cringe at the thought of serving others; Jesus is hoping that our noses will wrinkle and our determination will bend. He wants us to see that love by definition is hard. If we are to love our neighbor, it will include making efforts that demand getting our hands dirty and our noses filled with unattractive smells. Love, by definition, will be difficult.
“‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” (John 13:34-35 ESV).
One national speaker shared that his least favorite act of love to his wife was to vacuum the house. He absolutely hated vacuuming. Yet he knew that his love for his wife could be best communicated by traversing the carpeting of their house with the whir of the vacuum in his hand. And he was right. Love is barely love if the cost is small. The larger the challenge, the more grotesque the work, the more laborious the effort, the more love is communicated to the ones God calls us to love.
Jesus displayed the truest and deepest expression of love. This happened not in washing feet; this happened when the pain was unbearable and the weight of our guilt was eternal. On the cross Jesus went into the pit of despair in order to erase our sins but also to display how great his love is for us.
Our assignment this week, as disciples who deeply desire to be like our Rabbi, Jesus, is to find something difficult to do for our spouse, for our parents, for our neighbors, or for another fellow Christian. I encourage you to look beyond the mundane and simple tasks. Look for something that appears foul and difficult; take it on for the sake of loving like Jesus loves you. Try out the difficult; Jesus took the most difficult punishment of the cross for you. Each task you accomplish, and each time your stomach turns because something is gross or arduous, remember that your Savior was flooded with such overwhelming circumstances, pain, hurt, smells, and more. But you were worth the effort he put in because he wants to show you his perfect, unending love.
Blessings to you this week.
Pastor Al
W(ORD OF GOD) → Abide in the Word
O(SMOSIS) → Soak up the Word
N(EED) → Understand our need to love and be loved
D(ISCUSS) → Talk about the Word with other believers
E(XPERIENCE) → Try out what you’ve learned
R(ELAY) → Pass on what you’ve learned
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