Gò0dNews for Everyone
Let’s Wash Some Feet
W
by Sue Lavigne
hen I was in graduate school preparing to
Perhaps, the most important first step is to yield
become a physical therapist, I worked for an
ourselves completely to God. I try to ask the question,
orthopedic doctor who specialized in foot
“How is God calling me to meet the needs of someone else
problems. My job was to make a slipper cast mold of each
today?” People cross our paths every day whether it’s in
of the patient’s feet. So, I rolled up my sleeves, put the cast
our jobs, in our neighborhoods, in the community or even
material in some warm water and gently wrapped it around
in our own families. Each of these situations can provide
the bottom part of each foot. Once the cast dried, I could
opportunities where we can demonstrate the art of “foot
easily slip it off and set it aside. Once I finished, I would use
washing,” which is basically just meeting the needs of another. The task may be as simple as sending an encouraging text to a friend or as difficult as taking a homeless person inside a grocery store to buy some food. Jesus demonstrated foot washing as an example to us of a servant/leader. “The greatest among you must be a servant to all” (Matthew 23:11). Needless to say, serving others can be a very humbling experience. We may be called to wash all “types of feet.” These situations are likely to call us out of our comfort zone to help those who are very different and maybe even difficult to serve.
a warm wet towel to clean the cast residue off the patient’s
When I got laid off from my job, God asked me
feet. While working there, I washed a lot of different kinds
to immediately go back and be a volunteer for that
of feet: small feet, big feet, pretty feet, ugly feet, flat feet,
organization. That was the last thing I wanted to do, but in
ticklish feet, and even some awful smelly feet. I felt a little
being obedient to God, He made a way for me not only to be
like Jesus, washing His disciples’ feet. Although in the days
a blessing as a volunteer, but also to hear from my former
of Jesus, the task of washing feet was a lot dirtier and given
co-workers how much I had blessed them.
only to the lowest servant. I believe the art of foot washing is especially needed
As a Christian, Jesus tells us in John 13:14, “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to
today. Not the specifics of carrying around a wash basin
wash each other’s feet.” So, are you ready? Let’s roll up our
and washing the feet of strangers, but of stepping outside
sleeves and get started!
than ourselves.
32 // July 2022
About The Author
of our needs and seeking to help someone less fortunate Susan Lavigne attends Cornerstone Church. She is a Christian speaker and songwriter. Feel free to contact her at susanclavigne@gmail.com.
