Foot-washing

... He loved them to the uttermost (John 13:1)

Which act of the Lord expresses His uttermost love for us? It is not His quenching our thirst, nor is it His healing our sicknesses. It is His washing our feet and our washing one another’s.

Foot-washing is the end point of God’s love because it has everything to do with God’s purpose – building up of the Body of Christ. Through proper foot-washing, the disciples are brought into a state of pleasant fellowship in brotherly love. Without genuine fellowship (flow of life), the building progress will come to a halt.

Without John 13, John 14-17 would be impossible. Foot-washing issues in God’s dwelling, abiding in the vine, and oneness in the Body. Life is for building through mutual fellowship.

We may be physically together, but the pleasantness and sweetness may not be there. Life definitely is there, but the flow of life may not. What should we do? We should restore the flow of life through foot-washing. But how?

Rose from supper and laid aside His outer garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself; (John 13:4)

To wash brothers’ feet we have to lay aside our garments (virtues, standards, concepts, demands, etc.). We need to empty ourselves and lower ourselves. People are NOT pushed into the flow of life. People are cherished into the flow of life.

Therefore:

Don't push; cherish. Don't condemn; confess.

Don't provoke; provide. Don't suppress; supply.

Don't overwrite; overflow. Don't talk too much, listen much. (Isaiah 50:4,5)

Don't remove ice with force; tenderly melt it with warmth. (Colossians 3:12-15)

(an overflow from Message 10, Fall 2010, FTTA)