Lessons Learned From a Foot

            For the past couple of weeks I have been dealing with a very painful condition known as gout. It is probably one of the most painful things that I have had to deal with in my life, even to the point of having thoughts that everything would be better if I just cut my foot and ankle off. However, even in the midst of the pain, I know that my foot is a very important part of my body. Not only do I realize that a foot is an important part of a body, but a foot has also been an important part of my spiritual growth. Now I know you are probably asking how a foot could have any spiritual significance. I believe there are 3 spiritual lessons that we can learn from feet.

Lesson #1 – Feet = Love

            Feet equal love? Many people hate feet. They wouldn’t even come close to another person’s foot. However, we can see a couple of examples where feet equal love. First, in Lk. 7:36-47 and Jn. 12:1-8, we see 2 different accounts where a woman wiped Jesus’ feet with their hair and then poured oil on them. This may not seem all that significant. However, it shows an expression of intense personal devotion to Christ, and it would have taken great courage to honor Jesus in this way. It showed their love for Christ. Second, in Lk. 10:38-42 we see the account of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His teachings. It is the ones that we love the most who we will spend the most time with. God should be our greatest love. There the feet of Jesus is a disciple’s proper place, because we have an unquenchable desire to spend time in prayer, scripture reading, mediation, etc. However a lot of time we are like Mary’s sister, Martha who was busy, and we get distracted from our relationship with God. What changes need to happen so you are sitting at the feet of Jesus daily and loving Him fully?

Lesson #2 – Feet = Humility

            The greatest act of humility is Christ death on the cross. The second was the foot washing of His disciples. In Mk. 10:35-45, we see Jesus trying to teach his disciples what being humble and a servant is all about, but they aren’t getting it. The disciples are fighting at who is going to sit at the right and left hand of God. Jesus tells them, “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. (Mk. 10:44-45)” Looking at the disciples in these verses kind of reminds me of our culture. We live in a Me-centered culture instead of others-centered. If it doesn’t benefit us then we don’t care. Instead, we find in Phil. 2:3, Paul says, “….but in humility consider others better then yourself.” So as Jesus turns to wash the disciples’ feet He is teaching them humility and what it means to be a servant. What is causing you to not be able to serve others in humility?

Lesson #3 – Feet = Spreading the Gospel

            In Is. 52:7, it says “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news” (ESV). In Biblical times, messengers on foot were relied upon heavily for information and news, especially in times of war. Just as the messengers back then carried information and news, we need to be about carrying the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost. Why carry the good news? We see a couple of reasons in Matt. 9:37 and Matt. 20:28. Who is someone who you could bring the good news to this week, and how will you go about the good news with them?