📖 Read
🔎 Focus
“For he knew who was to betray them…”
John 13:11 (NRSVue)
“After he washed their feet…”
John 13:12 (NRSVue)
“…Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:6 (NRSVue)
✟ Devotion
Jesus washed feet. The task normally left to a servant or the lowest person (in hierarchy) in the household was performed by the disciples’ teacher, and the person we now understand to be part of the Trinitarian God. Or to put it differently, God took the lowest place and washed feet.
How often are we about us? Probably too much. For most people, our self is our greatest temptation. Whether it be pride, pleasure, finances, power…we often operate from an, “I am first perspective.”
Jesus washed feet.
Let’s note who was in the room. There were Jesus’ 12 disciples. There was this one, named Judas Iscariot, who would betray Jesus to the authorities. John tells us that Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray him.
Jesus washed his feet.
Before Judas Iscariot betrayed him, and while Jesus knew he would, Jesus washed his feet.
Most of us could complete understand regret if Jesus were to have known only afterward. If you knew someone would betray you, would you actually serve them? Jesus did.
Our world far too often operates from a perspective of, “what have you done for me lately.” There are those that make promises for the future and we hope they might (or won’t) fulfill them, knowing far too well that all such promises fall short. We accept (or hope for) the reality that all will not be accomplished as promised.
Jesus knew what Judas would do, but he washed his feet.
Why keep focusing on this? Why keep repeating, “…but he washed his feed?” There is a general feeling of fear, even of betrayal, going on. Families are ripping themselves apart over politics and policies. Families and friends are allowing those who are not in a personal relationship with them to define their relationships with others.
There is truth and wisdom about not being in relationship with toxic or harmful people, but are we really correctly defining who are toxic and harmful?
Judas Iscariot chose to betray Jesus. Judas could have repented (and some argue that he indirectly did). Would Jesus still forgive him despite his betrayal? Jesus washed his feet.
🤔 Reflection
Who are the “Judas Iscariots” in your life? How do Jesus’ actions inform how you could (or should) interact with them? What kind of “wash their feet” action might you being called to perform?
⏏️ Act
Acts of service (i.e., washing feet) can take many forms. Purposefully and prayerfully look for acts of service for a “Judas Iscariot” in your life and do them.
🙏 Prayer
Gracious God, help us put the example of Jesus forefront in our thoughts and actions, especially in regard to those by whom we feel betrayed. Help us to be gracious with them, as you have been gracious to us, loving us and dying for us while we were still alienated from you. Guide us into ways of thinking and doing the show loving service so that we might draw them to you. Amen.