John 13:6-11 (NIV)
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
None of the disciples was sure what to do with Jesus washing their feet, the Master taking on the role of the servant. But it was Peter who spoke up and resisted.
Peter might be open to criticism in several areas, but here his motives were good, although he lacked understanding of what was really going on. Peter was suddenly ashamed that no one else had stepped up to this demeaning task, leaving Jesus to fill the gap. He was inwardly beating himself up that he wasn’t the one with the towel around his waist washing Jesus’ feet, which, in his mind, would have been much more appropriate.
The fact that his refusal was a refusal to accept the dynamics of the situation and not a rejection of Jesus Himself is clearly shown by his response when Jesus pointed out that if he didn’t allow Jesus to wash his feet, he would have no part in Him. At that point, Peter was all in. He not only would let Jesus wash his feet, but his hands and head as well.
Jesus’ laughter at Peter’s enthusiasm wasn’t noted by John, but you can be sure He laughed as He pointed out that if a person was already clean, a quick washing of dusty feet was all that was necessary. Jesus knew Peter’s soft and loyal heart. He knew that even though Peter would deny knowing Him three times before the sun rose, that forgiveness of that lapse, a kind of spiritual foot washing, would be able to completely restore him.
Father, we so easily fall into the ditch on either side of the road on this one. On one side is the error of thinking that our minor lapses don’t matter, that You are okay with them, so we don’t need to come to You to have our “feet” washed. On the other side is the error of believing that if we unintentionally stumble on the way, we are completely lost and have to start all over again. But as You showed Peter, if our hearts are right with You (like Peter, unlike Judas), unintentional sins can be quickly and completely washed away (1 John 1:9), and we can pick up again where we left off. Thank You for Your grace! Amen.
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