Pastor’s Corner: “Mud or Muddy?”
John 13:4-5 (NLT) – 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. 1 John 1:9 (ESV) – 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
One of the memories of my childhood is playing outside in the dirt and the mud. After all the playing and I was called home, I fought my mom tooth a nail when she wanted me to take a bath (we had no shower). It felt more comfortable to just ignore the whole process and jump into bed. But the truth is, as soon as my feet were in the nice warm water, it felt good and comforting and I would submerge my whole body. There was no regret. As a matter of fact, once I got there, I did not want to leave and my mom would have to drag me out of the tub to get to bed.
I believe we can be just as resistant with confession and spiritual cleansing. Just as it seems painful for a child to take a bath, it can be painful to receive grace. That’s why Peter didn’t want Jesus washing his feet. But once He realized His need for Jesus, Peter said wash all of me! You couldn’t get him out of the tub. He didn’t realize how great and comforting it was to be clean and free.
When you step into a mud puddle, do you become mud or muddy? You become muddy. You don’t turn into the substance of mud. You simply get a little dirty. Likewise, once you and I have been cleansed from our past, present, and future sins through Jesus Christ, we become a clean, brand new person. Once in a while, we’re going to trip up and step into sin, but that doesn’t mean we become the old person that we once were. No, it means we simply need a foot washing.
When Jesus took a towel and began washing the disciple’s feet, Peter was appalled! He couldn’t conceive why Jesus would stoop to a servant’s job and wash his feet. Yet, in those days, it was customary for the host to wash the feet of their guest as an act of love. While Jesus was modeling love along with humble service, His actions also symbolized daily spiritual cleansing. Jesus explained to Peter that without cleansing no one could have a part of Him (John 13: 8). Desiring Jesus above all, Peter preferred not only his feet to be washed, but his entire body as well.
Sometimes though, we often experience shame when we sin against our Savior causing us to yearn for cleansing all over just as Peter did. However, Jesus is there to remind us that His grace is sufficient. There is no commendation for those who have been washed in His blood, forgiven by grace, and kept by the power of His love. Not only do we need a daily foot washing, our brothers and sisters do as well. Often when we’ve been sinned against, we want to sling mud at that person. Instead, we should offer them the same love, humble service, and grace that we have received.
Daily, we should wash one another’s feet with forgiveness. Feet that have been washed by the Savior are feet that will run swiftly to wash another’s. How can we condemn our brothers and sisters when we, too, have stood in the same mud puddle? Once you and I have been cleansed through salvation, it never needs repeating. On occasion, however, we may need to purge a little mud. Still, as we agree with God about our sin, Jesus, in an act of love, takes a towel and a handful of grace and kneels to wash our feet. John promises us in our key verse “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleans us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NKJ).
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton