Let's be real honest, feet are helpful and necessary
but they are not so beautiful. We don't usually think much about them as long
as they are working correctly for walking, sports, exercise or being fitted
with the latest trendy sneaker or popular flat/heel. At the same time, I have
family and friends who like to pamper themselves occasionally and get a good
foot massage or occasional pedicure. But overall, feet are not too popular!
However, I think it's interesting that there are
several stories in the Bible that place a great importance on feet. It’s not
that feet are the main subject but God uses them as an illustration to teach a
Christian truth and priority. There are two main examples of this I would like
to highlight.
First, in John 13 we are taught to follow Jesus’
example and serve others by washing their feet (John 13). We might have thought
at some point while reading this passage, “Couldn’t Jesus have used another
example besides feet?” Truth is, feet just aren’t that popular, and get really
dirty and smelly. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? People wore sandals
back then and would get really dirty feet while traveling. People welcoming guests
into their homes or for banquets would have servants who would typically wash
the guests’ feet. But Jesus showed his humility and the reason he used the
title so often of “Son of Man” by taking a towel and water to wash his
disciple’s feet at the last supper they shared together. Read John 13:12-15…
12 “When he had washed their feet
and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to
them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher
and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your
feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an
example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
But the importance of feet did not stop with the
story of Jesus and disciples. You might say their significance even “stepped”
up a notch. Check out Romans 10 where we learn that feet were not only about
teaching service but can be beautiful. What? Nope! I’m not kidding you! Feet
can and should be beautiful but there’s a process for this to happen that every
one of us as believers should be a part of in our lives. Check out what Paul
said in Romans
10:13-17…
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have
not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never
heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And
how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is
written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach
the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the
gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard
from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing
through the word of Christ.
It's right there in the Bible. Feet can be beautiful
if people do one thing. We must "preach the good news" of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's not our job to save them. We are just all
called as followers of Christ to share the life-changing message of the Kingdom
of God that has impacted our lives. We are called to go and take Jesus to the
world. It’s backed up in so many other Bible passages (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts
1:8) Only Jesus can change a life and this world. It's our responsibility to
get off our "blessed assurance" (as an old pastor used to say) and
get on our “beautiful” feet to go share the gospel. There's no greater time
than now!
NOTE: I'm thrilled our high school ministry here at
North Side (HSM) has a partnership with a ministry in Fort Worth (ironically
called "Beautiful Feet") so we can be a part of life-change in the
inner-city and serving / sharing the message of Christ with its neighbors not
only at Christmas time but throughout the year. Many people they regularly
minister to feel forgotten or left out in life. That should not be if we are on
our feet and taking Jesus to them.
Jesus loves and uses feet. We should too!
