This past weekend, we got to take part in a feet washing ceremony with the girls and staff at the orphanage. I have never seen this in person before, but it’s an experience that I am so overwhelmed to have had the privilege of being apart of.
In John 13, Jesus tells the disciples that He wants to wash their feet during the Feast of the Passover. When Peter tries to deny the offer, Jesus tells him that He is leaving a part of Himself with them for after He is gone. At the sound of that, Peter quickly changes his mind. Not only does he want his feet washed, but he wants Jesus to wash all of him.
Peter says, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus replies, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet”
The washing of the feet symbolizes Jesus wiping away our sins minute after minute, day after day. With our salvation, we have already been bathed. We’ve died to our old selves and been made new in Christ. But that doesn’t mean we’re perfect. We still sin every day, making our feet dirty again. Just by our feet touching this Earth everyday makes us in the world. However, just because we are IN the world, that doesn’t mean we are OF the world. We are called to strive to look more like Jesus each and every day, but no matter what, we will fall short. And that’s ok!!! Because we have called Jesus our savior, he washes our feet with endless forgiveness that we come nowhere near to deserving. How crazy is that? It gets me every time.
At the ceremony, the girls washed our feet and prayed for us. I cannot even begin to explain how humbling it was to have my feet washed by these girls. I came here to serve them, yet they serve me in more ways than I ever thought possible. They’re true examples of what it looks like to live for Christ. After they washed our feet, we switched and got to wash theirs and pray for them.
There was not a dry eye in the place at the end of the night, and this was most definitely
an experience I will never ever forget.
