Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – Holy Week: The Peter Principle
Jesus got up from
the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water
into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his
apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?” Jesus
answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough
to you later.” Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!” Jesus
said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.” “Master!”
said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!” (John 13: 6 9, The Message Bible)
Nice try, Peter, but no cigar.
Again.
Did you ever get tired of just missing
the mark about Jesus and being challenged by him seemingly at every turn in
your discipleship? Your passion to follow Jesus is worn on your sleeve for all
to see and yet you are always stumbling over your desire to prove yourself to
Jesus.
There have been people in my
life for whom I desperately wanted to prove myself and be affirmed by them in
some fashion. Professors in Divinity College. Family. Colleagues. Certain
church folk whom I cherished. And sometimes,
I was often disappointed when I didn‘t get their admiration. What could have I
done better or what should I have said? It was not that they had even shown any
disapproval – far from it - but simply expected me to do well in my endeavors and
enough said. Sometimes, I didn’t recognize the approval I did get – a new responsibility,
a new task, extra duties, simply because they thought I could handle it.
So, Peter, I empathize you in this
moment.
You go all in. “Not only my
feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!”
Some might say that this is the only way to
follow Jesus - all in. Don’t hold back. Dive in. Immerse yourself in his Love
and Mercy. Carry the watermarks of our
baptism on our hearts. Don’t give up. Don’t quit.
It is hard to argue against that
position.
But Peter reminds us how hard
that can be even when our hearts are in the right place. Jesus told Peter that
if he couldn’t do this simple act of washing Peter's feet, then it would be impossible
to be a part of his Kingdom work. So, Peter, as always, jumps in with both feet
and declares his total allegiance to Christ by asking for a full cleansing, head
to toe.
“Clean the slate, God, so we
can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take
over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the
grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and
pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.” (Psalm 19: 11 -14, The Message)
But Jesus goes on to interpret
his act of foot-washing as an example of his Kingdom work. He had previously declared
that washing is not the guarantee of a person’s being right with God. It’s what is inside
the human heart and will which break out in acts of service and love which are
the true indicators of a wholesome life.
So, he says here in John 13: “My concern, you understand, is
holiness, not hygiene.”
Moreover, his submissive
foot-washing is an example of what holiness looks like. “So if I, the Master
and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid
down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.” (v.16)
This is the lesson Peter still had
to absorb into his heart and soul. I know I need to learn it. Our passionate exuberance to follow Jesus must
result in the constant passion to serve others in love and in practical and
hands-on ways. Not to earn Jesus’ approval; we already have that Love unconditionally.
But to pick up towels and basins and humbly to embody Jesus’ Love back into the
world.
If Peter had only said – “Use
my feet! Use my hands! Use my mind.”
Dale
No comments:
Post a Comment