Barefoot in the Church

 

“Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” John 13:5.

 

“You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” John 13:13 – 15.

 

I wonder why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, Communion, but do not wash one another’s feet? After all, Jesus said that we ought to do both of them. And, if we can explain away feet washing so that we need not actually do feet washing, we can explain away Communion so that we need not actually celebrate Communion.

 

Of course, there are those who do observe feet washing, but not many. Then there are those who explain away Communion, to the degree that its celebration is minimalized and sometimes eliminated; but by-and-large most churches (I think, I hope) give a place of honor and importance to Communion.

 

But why not feet washing? After all, Jesus says, “…you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Both the Lord’s Supper and Feet Washing occur in the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal – how can we separate the two observances? How can we honor one and not the other? How can we obey Jesus’ command concerning one and not His command concerning the other? Does not Jesus say, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them”? (John 13:17).

 

Perhaps we’d rather not think about these things?

 

Moving on, shouldn’t we be living barefoot in the church as a way of life? That is, shouldn’t an element of our lives be about washing one another’s feet, about refreshing one another, about serving one another, about submitting to one another and preferring one another?

 

I love Paul’s words to Philemon, “For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Phm. 1:7).

 

Consider this picture from Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

 

Jesus calls us to serve one another as He serves us. He washes our feet and then He says, “You do the same.” Jesus calls us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34 – 35; 1 John 3:16). Jesus calls us to live in the very same unity that He and the Father and the Holy Spirit live in (John 17:11, 21 – 23).

 

The image and call to feet washing is a call by Jesus Christ to live as He lives, love as He loves, serve and He serves.

 

Are we washing one another’s feet? Am I washing the feet of others? Am I allowing others to wash my feet?

 

Whose feet will I wash today?

 

Whose feet will you wash today?

 

Who will wash our feet today?

 

Are we living barefoot in the church?