To Walk on the Path of Peace You Need Clean Feet

I spent most of my Summer days as a child barefooted. When the time came to go to bed my feet held the evidence of every where I'd been. I often heard, "Do NOT get in bed until you wash your feet!" You just can't help getting your feet dirty if you walk around in the dirt barefooted.

"The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean." (John 13:10) This is what Jesus told Peter when He washed his feet. Because Peter had believed Jesus and trusted that He was the Messiah Peter was clean. But Jesus showed by His illustration of washing His disciples feet that just as your feet get dirty by walking on dusty roads (even when the rest of you is clean) that though we have salvation through our belief in Jesus still our spiritual feet get dirty in a sinful world. This is a story full of humility. First we see Jesus putting on the garb of a servant and getting eye level with His disciples feet. Next the disciples are humbled as they experience Jesus washing their dirty feet.

Often during the day I am too busy to stop and consider any dirt my spiritual feet may have picked up along the way. However, when I go to bed my subconscious mind begins to untangle the events of the day and I awake to the uncomfortable truth that I need help. I humble myself and admit my sin. When my spiritual feet are clean I experience what "putting on the shoes that are the gospel of peace" means.

Jesus didn't just wash His disciples feet He told them to wash one another's feet. When I joined my church they told me, "We are a family but sooner or latter someone is going to hurt your feelings. It just happens when you live together in community." It takes humility to admit someone has hurt us but it also takes humility to hear that we have hurt someone else.  But it's only when we wash one another's feet and allow others to wash our feet that we can stand in the shoes of peace.

Lord Jesus, help me to humble myself today by accepting the truth that I need to both give and receive forgiveness in order to walk in peace with you and with others.