A friend of mine posed an interesting question today: Would she be able to wash someone's feet? At first I balked at the question. Then I thought, "Of course I would..." But as our discussion continued, I did have to stop and think. Would I? Would you?
In the literal sense of foot washing, I think I could and would do it if it was the expectation. I have to be honest, though, I don't like feet. Okay, newborn baby feet are sweet- but other than that, feet gross me out. I don't even like my own, though I put hours into pedicures and polish- feet are feet. They get me from here to there, often in totally hip and stylish (not so comfortable) shoes, but they serve an important purpose. Back in Jesus' day, though, they didn't have the same designers, and shoes weren't as they are today- so feet then got VERY DIRTY. But could I wash someone's feet... better yet, could I dry their feet with my hair and wash them with my tears...
But the whole conversation got my brain swimming with thoughts of what foot washing would be comparable to in today's world. Cleaning toilets? I'd love to have someone clean my toilets, and I'll wash my own feet... I can't really nail down what would be more humbling than washing someone's feet, even in today's world. Maybe I can draw the parallel of a true servant's heart that steps in and performs a true act of service that everyone takes for granted and may even be embarrassed by, but aren't willing to do themselves... Or is it more about the attitude than the actual act itself? Would I wash one person's feet but not another's? Serve one person but not another?
Maybe I'm making too much of it... We don't wash each other's feet in today's world- (in fact we pay people to wash our feet). It is an intriguing question... Would I wash someone's feet? Would you?
Thursday, June 26, 2008
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
Would I? Would you?
A friend of mine posed an interesting question today: Would she be able to wash someone's feet? At first I balked at the question. Then I thought, "Of course I would..." But as our discussion continued, I did have to stop and think. Would I? Would you?
In the literal sense of foot washing, I think I could and would do it if it was the expectation. I have to be honest, though, I don't like feet. Okay, newborn baby feet are sweet- but other than that, feet gross me out. I don't even like my own, though I put hours into pedicures and polish- feet are feet. They get me from here to there, often in totally hip and stylish (not so comfortable) shoes, but they serve an important purpose. Back in Jesus' day, though, they didn't have the same designers, and shoes weren't as they are today- so feet then got VERY DIRTY. But could I wash someone's feet... better yet, could I dry their feet with my hair and wash them with my tears...
But the whole conversation got my brain swimming with thoughts of what foot washing would be comparable to in today's world. Cleaning toilets? I'd love to have someone clean my toilets, and I'll wash my own feet... I can't really nail down what would be more humbling than washing someone's feet, even in today's world. Maybe I can draw the parallel of a true servant's heart that steps in and performs a true act of service that everyone takes for granted and may even be embarrassed by, but aren't willing to do themselves... Or is it more about the attitude than the actual act itself? Would I wash one person's feet but not another's? Serve one person but not another?
Maybe I'm making too much of it... We don't wash each other's feet in today's world- (in fact we pay people to wash our feet). It is an intriguing question... Would I wash someone's feet? Would you?
In the literal sense of foot washing, I think I could and would do it if it was the expectation. I have to be honest, though, I don't like feet. Okay, newborn baby feet are sweet- but other than that, feet gross me out. I don't even like my own, though I put hours into pedicures and polish- feet are feet. They get me from here to there, often in totally hip and stylish (not so comfortable) shoes, but they serve an important purpose. Back in Jesus' day, though, they didn't have the same designers, and shoes weren't as they are today- so feet then got VERY DIRTY. But could I wash someone's feet... better yet, could I dry their feet with my hair and wash them with my tears...
But the whole conversation got my brain swimming with thoughts of what foot washing would be comparable to in today's world. Cleaning toilets? I'd love to have someone clean my toilets, and I'll wash my own feet... I can't really nail down what would be more humbling than washing someone's feet, even in today's world. Maybe I can draw the parallel of a true servant's heart that steps in and performs a true act of service that everyone takes for granted and may even be embarrassed by, but aren't willing to do themselves... Or is it more about the attitude than the actual act itself? Would I wash one person's feet but not another's? Serve one person but not another?
Maybe I'm making too much of it... We don't wash each other's feet in today's world- (in fact we pay people to wash our feet). It is an intriguing question... Would I wash someone's feet? Would you?
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1 comment:
Hmmm, foot washing may just be in your future. I've wanted to do that in our growth group for a long time now, if not there, then on the VT ;)
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