Symbols of Service - Part 3

In v. 13, Jesus refers to the titles of "Teacher" and "Lord" in order to make it clear that that he acknowledges and accepts these titles, but his act of foot washing does not compromise his dignity and honor. Rather, as Jesus suggests further in vv. 14-16, foot-washing is an example of a new way of living based upon a "servanthood" paradigm:
“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. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”
Basically Jesus said: “a servant is not greater than master, so follow the master’s example.”

Can you imagine the disciples after having their feet washed by Jesus saying, “Well that was nice, but I am not going to do it. I’m too good for that.” That would have been crazy. Jesus set the example and made it clear—if the master does it, so should the servant. Nothing is below us as Christians. We have not just the duty but the opportunity to be like Jesus when we serve one another.

Henri Nouwen was an internationally renowned priest and author, a respected professor, and beloved pastor who wrote over 40 books on the spiritual life. One day he met up with Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, an international movement of communities that welcome and care for people with disabilities. That conversation inspired Nouwen and he accepted an invitation to become pastor for the L'Arche community of Daybreak in Toronto, Canada. He lived in one of the homes and was asked to help Adam Arnett, a man with a severe disability, with his morning routine. We are talking about changing diapers, sponge baths, feeding, being patient with his shortcomings. Nouwen ended up writing the book “Adam, God's Beloved” describing how Adam became his friend, his teacher and his guide. All because Nouwen took seriously Jesus’ call to serve. Though Nouwen was a world renowned teacher, scholar, and Christian, he felt nothing was below him. That helping the least of these was the right thing to do.

This model of living is radically different than the world’s order and the world’s false concepts of wisdom and power. But when we allow Jesus to wash our feet and when we wash one another’s feet we are aligning ourselves with the Kingdom of God, with Jesus’ legacy, with a common purpose. Foot washing serves a dual purpose in symbolizing not only the self-giving love and cleansing provided by Jesus’ death, but also the self-giving love we extend to others. The act of foot washing is hardly practiced in our modern churches. And though I don’t think we should practice it like we do communion, that does not take away from its validity as a model for us.

If we can wash one another’s feet, we can do a lot of things that we would be hesitant to otherwise do. Foot washing is just a model for how to live. There are other ways to practice foot washing in a spiritual sense. We wash people’s feet when we are servants to them. I think when Jesus says, “I have set you an example” he means find needs and meet them, whatever they may be.