Washing Feet (Discussion Fodder)

"Lord, do you wash my feet?" (John 13:6)

Can you see that picture? The God of the universe, clothed in human flesh, is kneeling on the floor washing the disciples feet. We have done that in small group settings in our church. Generally, however, the feet are clean and soft and nothing like what Jesus must have encountered. In that culture they walked, either in sandals, or barefoot. In West Africa where we work in missions they walk everywhere in flip flops. The feet are calloused, and dirty, and yes, we have done foot washing there as well.

But the whole point of the lesson is that as followers of Christ who would reach a lost world for with the Gospel, we must be willing to do the most common and humbling of tasks. Jesus said that a disciple is not greater than his master. Jesus said that if we understand what He did in washing feet, we should be willing to follow His example.

Do we want the jobs where there is greater glory? Do we prefer the seats of honor? Must we have our name in the headlines, or at least in the church bulletin? Are we willing to humble ourselves and reach out to the homeless? Or what about those with HIV, the leoprosy of our day? Are we willing to go the extra mile? To turn the other cheek? To deny self? To truly humble ourselves? What about loving our enemy? Can we take off our outer garments and get down on our knees in the dirt and wash feet?

Someone once said we actually believe as much of the Bible as we practice or seek to obey. I wonder if this chapter on Jesus washing feet is missing in many of our modern personal Bibles.

Too Great A Cost (Devotional)

"When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." (Matt. 19:22)

A rich young man had come to Jesus and asked what he had to do to gain eternal life. Jesus had sized up the issues in the man's heart and replied "Go sell what you possess, and give to the poor." For this young man, the wealth of the world was the most important matter in his life. Jesus knew that. And He knows our heart in the same way.

Jesus told the disciples that it was very difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. In fact, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. When someone is rich, they tend to trust in the materialism of their lives. They don't need God, or so they think. By the world's standards, most Americans are extremely rich.

So how difficult is it? We tend to want a little bit of God. A god we can control and keep in a box. A Santa Claus of a Gennie type god. When we realize that He wants us to surrender all, we often are like this rich young man who went away disappointed.

Let me ask you something. How much did God surrender for you in order to bring forgiveness of your sins and the oppotunity of eternal life? He gave it all. Is it really too great a cost for Him to ask us to surrender all to Him?