Tuesday, January 23, 2018

ARE FEET BEAUTIFUL?


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!

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