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Jun 10, 2025 06:00am

The Frequent Need For Foot-Washin’!

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It was one of the most beautiful and profound acts of human history. Right before His death, Jesus takes a servant’s apron and towel and a bowl and water and, one by one, washes His disciples’ feet. It was a job the lowest servant would have done.

He was teaching, by example, the need for constant servanthood. The greatest leader is willing to be the lowest servant to all. Those he leads should FEEL the refreshing, cleansing results of his servanthood, just as the leader will feel the smile of God upon the act and the loving appreciation of those he serves.

CLEANSING

In the process of this moment, Jesus teaches multiple truths, as always. Peter humbly resisted at first, until Jesus told him that cleansing from Him was necessary if Peter was to be a part of the kingdom.

“Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head,” Peter cried. (John 13:9)

But Jesus replied in a way that not only taught us about our eternal salvation, but our daily spiritual lives.

“One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” (Jn 13:10–11)

What was Christ saying? Jesus was proclaiming that “almost all” of the twelve disciples were true, born-again believers. They had surrendered their lives to Christ and been cleansed in their hearts. They were now ready for heaven. But one disciple (Judas) was unwilling to follow Christ with his whole heart … the one who was constantly stealing from the money-box and who had already taken steps to betray Christ. His god was money, not Christ. He was not clean. This is why Jesus said to Peter, “You are clean, but not all of you.”

But then Jesus makes a profound statement about our daily Christianity, using a practical example. If you have bathed, you don’t need to wash your whole body, just your dusty feet. Those of us who have come to Christ and been born-again and cleansed by Him are clean before God. We’re in His family and ready for heaven.

There is no need every day to think we must be “re-saved” from head to toe. But we will get the dust of the world upon us. We do need, every day and throughout the day, to come and ask for Jesus to cleanse us when sin has crept into our hearts and lives. Sin interrupts our fellowship with God and man and should be dealt with immediately. Sin, unattended, will cling to us, distract us, and grow on us. We will lose the refreshing intimacy with God and the sense of His near presence.

Paul modeled this daily practice and said, “I always strive to have a clear conscience toward God and men. (Acts 24:16). He “exercised himself” (the literal meaning of the word) constantly to stay clean in two directions.

When the missionary, Norman Grubb, was asked how a revival in Rwanda in the 1900’s lasted for over 20 years, Grubb replied, “We kept the roof off and the walls down … nothing between ourselves and the Savior and nothing between us and anyone else.” They dealt daily with their sins, recognizing and repenting and finding Christ’s fresh cleansing. They received a fresh, spiritual “foot-washing” every time it was needed. And so must we.