Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean though not all of you." For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean." -John 13:8-11

While I was in youth group, I attended every event, every Bible Study, every everything.  Each summer as a youth group we would go on a mission trip. It was a common practice for the company we went with to have one night during worship dedicated to having a foot washing. Our youth advisers would all be given a bucket and a towel and were instructed to wash our feet. When I was a freshmen and a sophomore, I remember thinking that the whole thing was really gross. I felt bad for my youth advisers.

I began to think differently as I got older, as I senior in high school the gravity of the event really hit me. I began to really consider what it meant for Jesus, the son of God and King of Kings to wash the feet of those who were just dirty fishermen, tax collectors, and the one who would betray him. How were they worthy of this, how was I worthy of that?

Well friends, hear the good news, Jesus came to this world and died and rose for us. Jesus knelt down before his friends as an example for us; Jesus calls us to be a servant low and humble. Jesus forgives us for being part of the crowd that welcomed him with palms on Sunday and then called for his death on Friday. We are not clean, and even sometimes find ourselves in the same place as Judas, but even still Jesus serves as the great loving King. Take comfort in Jesus' act of service, but also, remember to take it as an example and serve the world around you! Get out into your mission field!

Prayer for Today

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for being the example for all of us, an example of love, of service, and of humility. Please help us to see the world as you did and to serve your people as you did! We acknowledge that at times we don't feel worthy of this act of service and of your grace, but help us to find comfort in that all are worthy from fishermen to tax collectors.

Thank you, Jesus, Amen.