Jesus knew Judas was to betray him. Jesus knew that this betrayal would lead to much suffering, pain, and ultimately to His death upon the cross. Jesus washed Judas' feet.
You cannot wage war when you're busy washing feet.
What is your "Feet Washing" for your spouse? For my husband, it's ironically foot massages and pedicures.
Silly, but effective.
Effective especially when he feels like he doesn't deserve it. If a fight is brewing or we're just both off our game and not having a good day —because let's be real! It happens!! There is nothing like getting down on my knees before him while he's reclined in his chair, and massaging his feet.
1 Peter 3:1
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them disobey the word, they may be won over without words but by the behavior of their wives.
This is not something I would have done, especially if I was in a bad mood or I felt as if I had been wronged. However, it's something I've started to do more often and it has been a beautiful way to remember and remind one another to keep God front and center of our marriage.
The first time I "washed his feet" he was confused and he couldn't understand after the big fight that we had had why on earth I would want to give him a foot massage. I gave him a gentle smile and I told him, "It's what Jesus would do." A total WWJD - What Would Jesus Do moment, but in all seriousness!
Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him. Jesus knew Peter would deny him three times. We read about it in John 13:1-17
13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 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? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messanger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus displayed to us humility and servanthood in forgiving sinners. We, my friends, are all sinners. But maybe just maybe, if we started following His example, we'd start seeing a difference within our homes and relationships and lives. I have a feeling we'd start seeing GOD within in our homes and relationships and lives.
You cannot wage war when you're busy washing feet.
And guess what! The very next night, after the babies were both asleep, my husband washed MY feet! He got down on his knees before me and he gave ME a foot massage. Not even the both times I was pregnant did he offer to give me a foot massage. This act, or maybe I should say REaction, was a sure sign of God working within him.
Dear friends and readers, we live in a world so desperately in need of Grace. I challenge you to find your way of washing feet. Start doing it! And watch God work!
Something to think about. Something to pray about.
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