¹It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  ² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him…¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:1 -5 and 12 – 17, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Context:

During Passion Week we are using objects in Scripture to preserve our memory of some of the key lessons about love that Jesus taught His disciples during Passion Week.  So far we have focused on tears, overturned tables, and perfume. Today, we focus on a basin of water.   The passage above from the Gospel of John captures the story of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.

Reflection:

The very first verse of the passage lets us know that what is to follow is about love. Usually, when reference is made to this love story about Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, the towel is the symbolic object.  As a symbolic reminder, I think the basin of water is also worthy of consideration.  Jesus was explicit about the reason why He washed the disciples’ feet.  He gave the disciples a model of servant leadership that they were to follow.   The basin of water helps to illustrate this model because it is a reminder that while feet washing can be a messy undertaking, Jesus did it anyway.  Throughout His ministry, Jesus loved when the situation was “messy.”  For example, He was not afraid of lovingly communicating with a Samaritan woman, even though such an act was taboo.  He lovingly defended a woman who was about to be stoned for adultery.  And, Jesus showed love to a tax collector by eating with him at his home even though tax collectors were despised by many. 

We are tempted to love only when it is convenient.  If the situation gets messy it’s time to look for an exit.  I once heard a theologian say that Christians often express their love for ministry until the reality hits home that their ministry is to people with all their flaws.  The basin with water reminds us how Jesus loves and how He has asks us to love.    

Response:

If we are to lead effectively as Christians, we must love even when it is messy.  The “dirty water” of people’s lives should not cause us to stop loving them?  What inspires you to keep loving even in unpleasant circumstances?  I would love to hear your thoughts.