Just when you think you know how the world works, God goes and turns it all upside down.
The disciples knew how the world works. There are bosses and there are servants. The servants work for the bosses, take care of the bosses. The bosses sit back and enjoy.
And then Jesus turns that on its head. Jesus gets the basin and the jug of water and the towel, and kneels to them and washes their feet. And teaches them that greater honour is due to the ones who serve.
This has been embraced by the church, and to a large extent, by our society. Our politicians are called ministers, and the word minister is from the Old French, meaning “servant”. Those who run the government offices are called public servants. We give honour to these servants, and to others who serve: firefighters, nurses, philanthropists. The concept of honouring those who serve others has become engrained in our society.
It has in the Church, too. We honour those who work hard to help others. In fact, many people work hard to help others because that is the way they will get honour. Jesus' instructions kind of backfired, there. People are not supposed to do good because they will get brownie points, but because it is good to do good. But that's human nature.
People like the role of taking care of others, of being the servant. We have several hints in scripture that Peter thought of himself in that role, that his job was to take care of Jesus. He scolded him when he started talking of his suffering and death. He had a sword and tried to fight when Jesus was arrested. He probably thought of himself as some kind of bodyguard.
But now Jesus is turning that upside down, too. Jesus is kneeling at his feet, and Peter doesn't like to have the tables turned. “You will never wash my feet!” he exclaims.
And isn't that what we are often like? We want to be doing the caring, and it makes us uncomfortable when someone tries to, or has to, look after us.
I have a friend, who was sick, and I brought her some groceries. And she said, “I owe you so much; you have done so much for us! You shouldn't have to do this for us!” And I actually had to read her Acts 2:44,45 before she would accept the service I was offering. Acts 2:44 and 45 reads, “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Now, I pray that when I am in need, I may also have the grace to accept what others give me with humility. For in allowing someone to give you something, you are giving them also a blessing; for “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” as Luke tells us in Acts 20:35.
And Peter learned this the hard way. Jesus said to him, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." And this is how it works: we both bless each other, and are blessed by each other, when we serve one another. Society may be divided into haves and have nots; but it should not be that way in the church. I minister to you, but you also minister to me, and that's the way it should be, for that's the way we are bound to each other in love.
The symbolism of the footwashing means that there are no bosses here; there are only servants. The way of the world is turned upside down. And the kingdom of heaven is ours. Thanks be to God. Amen.
The disciples knew how the world works. There are bosses and there are servants. The servants work for the bosses, take care of the bosses. The bosses sit back and enjoy.
And then Jesus turns that on its head. Jesus gets the basin and the jug of water and the towel, and kneels to them and washes their feet. And teaches them that greater honour is due to the ones who serve.
This has been embraced by the church, and to a large extent, by our society. Our politicians are called ministers, and the word minister is from the Old French, meaning “servant”. Those who run the government offices are called public servants. We give honour to these servants, and to others who serve: firefighters, nurses, philanthropists. The concept of honouring those who serve others has become engrained in our society.
It has in the Church, too. We honour those who work hard to help others. In fact, many people work hard to help others because that is the way they will get honour. Jesus' instructions kind of backfired, there. People are not supposed to do good because they will get brownie points, but because it is good to do good. But that's human nature.
People like the role of taking care of others, of being the servant. We have several hints in scripture that Peter thought of himself in that role, that his job was to take care of Jesus. He scolded him when he started talking of his suffering and death. He had a sword and tried to fight when Jesus was arrested. He probably thought of himself as some kind of bodyguard.
But now Jesus is turning that upside down, too. Jesus is kneeling at his feet, and Peter doesn't like to have the tables turned. “You will never wash my feet!” he exclaims.
And isn't that what we are often like? We want to be doing the caring, and it makes us uncomfortable when someone tries to, or has to, look after us.
I have a friend, who was sick, and I brought her some groceries. And she said, “I owe you so much; you have done so much for us! You shouldn't have to do this for us!” And I actually had to read her Acts 2:44,45 before she would accept the service I was offering. Acts 2:44 and 45 reads, “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Now, I pray that when I am in need, I may also have the grace to accept what others give me with humility. For in allowing someone to give you something, you are giving them also a blessing; for “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” as Luke tells us in Acts 20:35.
And Peter learned this the hard way. Jesus said to him, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." And this is how it works: we both bless each other, and are blessed by each other, when we serve one another. Society may be divided into haves and have nots; but it should not be that way in the church. I minister to you, but you also minister to me, and that's the way it should be, for that's the way we are bound to each other in love.
The symbolism of the footwashing means that there are no bosses here; there are only servants. The way of the world is turned upside down. And the kingdom of heaven is ours. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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