John 13:12-17 and Jesus washing His disciples feet reminds me of what Paul said in Philip. 2:3 when he wrote “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Take a look at a fruit tree and you will see that the branch that bears the most fruit always bows the lowest, so if we want to be truly fruitful, bow the lowest and serve others. Instead of throwing in the towel perhaps we should grab the towel and put it around our waist and start serving others.
Faith makes all things possible, hope makes all things inevitable but love makes all things enjoyable. Friends, Jesus demonstrates that love doesn’t point out stinky feet, it sets out to wash them. If we aren’t willing to wash them ourselves then we ought to keep our mouths shut about the odor.
And notice whose feet Jesus washed:
•A doubter in Thomas
•A denier in Peter
•A back stabber in Judas
In other words Jesus didn’t just love the lovable, He loved the unlovable. Every person lives near a bucket and we simply have a choice to wash our hands of the responsibility or take the bucket and wash some feet. Or if you will, we will either be stone chuckers or cross bearers.
At the very time Jesus was going to be betrayed He chose to bear the cross and wash the feet of even the one who rejected and betrayed Him.