Over the years, I have taken part in a few foot-washing ceremonies – both as the washer and the one being washed. Without doubt, they are some of the most powerful and moving spiritual experiences I’ve had. I still remember my first such experience, many years ago. The pastors at our church were offering it to anyone who wished to participate. I went to the front with no great expectations – but found myself fighting back tears throughout the process.
It’s interesting to reflect that of the many commands of Jesus which we interpret literally, foot-washing isn’t one of them. Nearly every church baptises new believers, as Jesus commanded. Nearly every church shares bread and wine (or equivalent), as Jesus commanded. Only some churches practise foot-washing, and even those that do only practise it once a year – on Maundy Thursday, with only the priest or pastor washing feet.
No church that I am aware of gets everyone washing each other’s feet – just as Jesus directly commands in this passage, twice: (vv14-15) ‘Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.’
Why is that? Why do we treat this as a metaphor, rather than an actual practice? Is it just too humbling, too extreme? Or just too culturally specific? Answers on a postcard, please!
That said, we must acknowledge that, even if the literal practice is rare, the idea isn’t. The global church does agree that humble service is the way of Jesus. As he has given to us, so we then pass on to others. We may do any number of simple tasks to bless people – quiet, unglamorous, unheralded, but all true reflections of our foot-washing Saviour. As the saying goes: don’t pay it back, pay it forward.
And as we do them, Jesus makes us a promise: (v17) ‘You will be blessed if you do them.’ God always repays. God blesses those who bless others – not always in the way we expect, but somehow.
Today, let’s give thanks for those whose humble service has blessed us. And let’s pray for grace to be ‘foot-washers’ for others – whatever that may look like today, or this week.