I was at the airport in Orlando not so long ago and I was preparing to go through the security line. A large family was ahead of me in line, (Mom, Dad, and three or four little rug rats’). All the small children had on tennis shoes. The father was telling all the cute little kids to take off their shoes, (and Mickey Mouse ears), in order to go through security.
When those adorable’ little kids removed their shoes, the odor emanating from their feet and tennis shoes very nearly made me gag, literally! It would have “gagged a maggot”. Apparently those hot little feet made lots of little steps and began to sweat in hot tennis shoes on Florida’s hot pavement as they toured Disney World, Epcot Center, and every theme park in Orlando. This likely began the fermentation process whereby their little feet began to ripen and sour to create a disgusting, foul, slimy, odor that stank so bad that one whiff was powerful enough to knock a three hundred foot high circling Turkey buzzard out of the sky stone cold dead.
I very nearly threw up as I pulled my head away and rapidly turned it back and forth and side to side desperately trying to elude that awful and vile scent. I held my breath, but finally had to breathe, and as soon as I sucked in a deep breath of air, that disgusting smell yet again filled my nostrils and tears came to my eyes. Finally, I could not take it anymore. I gathered my computer, computer bag, shoes, cell phone, keys, and suit coat in my arms and with all of my stuff jammed under my arms and precipitously balanced and slipping from my hands, I bolted in my stocking feet for another security line trying to keep from vomiting as I ran. I gladly gave up my place in line in order to be able to breathe fresh air again.
As I waited at the very end of my new security line, I dolefully stared at those little urchins who were two lines over in wonderment that anything that small could possibly smell so bad and watched with amusement as the guy who had been behind me recoiled as he caught a whiff of it.
I was thinking about this event today and it made me think of Jesus down on His hands and knees washing the feet of His disciples. In those days, feet must have been awfully dirty and smelly. Walking many miles down dusty roads in the hot sun while wearing sandals was the primary mode of transportation and I’m sure it was not a pleasant task to wash someone’s feet. (I sincerely hope that the disciple’s feet were not as smelly as those little urchin’s feet and tennis shoes.) Picture it though; here was the King of all creation down on His hands and knees washing the filthy dirty and smelly feet of His followers like the lowest of servants.
Why do you suppose this story is included in God’s Holy Bible? What is He trying to tell us? Some have the opinion that this is included to teach us to be humble and to serve our fellow man in humility. If Jesus the King of Kings is willing to perform the lowest of tasks in order to serve, then we should do likewise. I think this message indeed is the primary purpose that Jesus washed their feet and then inspired His servants to include it in Scripture for us, but often God has multiple messages. I think the sub-message might be symbolism of Jesus cleansing us of our filthy sins as well.
Our sins are more wretched than the disciples’ feet, or incredibly’ even those little kids’ stinking feet by a long shot. God is holy and perfect and cannot sin. Imagine how hard it had to be for Jesus who abhors sin and is holy and pure to take upon Himself the vile sins of the entire world. With that act of Grace, He cleansed away every sin for those of us who have accepted Him as our Savior. I would have a very hard time personally washing those kids’ feet unless I could use a pressure washer while wearing a respirator and Haz-Med suit, much less take on the sins of the world. Even though I am not perfect and/or holy, I could not begin to even think about taking on the sins of the world. To be honest it is too painful just to recount’ my own sins, much less think about taking on all the perverted and including most heinous sins of the entire world for all of time.
The Bible tells us that Jesus became’ sin for us and then atoned, (paid the heavy price), for all sins as He died a slow painful death on the cross and during the process was cursed, spat upon, flogged, beaten, and crucified. No wonder He was so stressed and intense that He had blood coming through His brow like drops of sweat as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for strength to withstand what He knew was coming and had to be.
The next time you find a quiet place contemplate whether or not you want to just sleep in, or get up and get ready to go to church, remember how easy it would have been for Jesus to have said, “You know what? After due consideration, I think I’ll just go back to my throne on high, or better yet, I think I will go to my mansion and catch up on a little sleep.”
Jesus loved us too much to turn His back on us even though He was well aware of what it would cost Him personally. He did all this so that you and I can be reunited with Him one day. There was no other way and without His atoning sacrifice we would just die in our sins. The love of God cannot be adequately described with mere words, (or even smelly feet)Think about it! Are you going to turn your back on Jesus today? If not, then thank Him and tell Him how much you love Him and appreciate what He has done for you, and then tell someone that you know about the wonderful things He has done in your life and please don’t wait. Do it today!
Luke 23:44
And being in agony, He prayed
more earnestly. Then His sweat
became like great drops of blood falling
down to the ground.