On the way home from a recent ministry trip, the man next to me on the plane immediately took off his shoes. After settling into our seats and exchanging pleasantries, I tried to figure out a way to diplomatically bring into the conversation how Dr. Scholl’s makes great odor-control shoe inserts. Instead, I thought it would be better to “toe” the line and politely suffer through the 2 ½ hour flight . After it was apparent we both wanted to read our books, I sat there (holding my breath) reviewing the last few days in my heart. I stared at my book pretending I didn’t smell the stench around me (it was no easy “feat”!). What came to mind (and nose ) was “Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat.” I don’t know if you have ever heard that Halloween poem, but I wonder who in the world ever came up with that? It’s challenging, threatening, bossy, rude, and demanding.
Today we’re talking figuratively about smelly feet/sin. It’s so easy to recognize the stench of someone else’s feet to the neglect of our own. Recently some co-workers and I were confronted by some challenging, threatening, bossy, rude, and demanding people. My friends and I asked the Lord to cause us to love these women. Like trick-or-treaters demanding candy, they threatened when they didn’t get what they wanted. What they didn’t realize is their demanding actions, lack of kindness, and over-zealous words, made them appear to have their cause before Christ’s purpose….and who wants to reward or “treat” that kind of behavior? We would put a Twix in their candy bag, they complained they wanted a Snickers. We would give them a Snickers, and they complained it had nuts in it. Have you ever known people like that? Now here is where we have to take off our masks…have you ever been a person like that?
It has been my experience that people who act that way are calloused by insecurity, hurt, or wounds; greatly in need of some kindness, love, and affirmation. Sometimes it is best to gently confront such behavior, but one must make sure it is of the Spirit and not of self. Other times, as it was in our case through the example of Jesus in John 13:1-17, it is best to humbly wash their feet and love them. Feet can be dirty, smelly, ugly, have bunions, callouses, corns, and even worse, they can have fungus. You can’t polish over fungus and get rid of it (no matter how pretty the nail polish). Untreated, fungus can start eating away the very toenails meant to help protect the feet. Sin has a way of doing that to our hearts and lives too; it can eat away at our relationships and the blessings in our lives. Even though “pushy pink” polish can’t, love can cover a multitude of sins. When God calls us to wash someone’s feet, He doesn’t ask us to heal the fungus…that is His job. Zecheriah 4:6-7 tells us, “’Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” He can level mountains into plains, or in other words, remove bitter bunions and forceful fungus, buff off crass and contentious corns and callouses, clip, file and polish tumultuous toenails (and hearts!). We just need to submit, trust, and obey and that is when we will experience the thrill of victory over the agony of “da-feet”. The interesting thing about washing other people’s feet is you have to stoop down to do it, which positions you to take inventory of your own feet. After this trip I can see my toenails are chipped. It looks like it’s time for a pedicure.
Shela-Lyn Boxberger
Christian Author, Speaker, Interpreter for the Deaf and Bible Study Teacher
Today we’re talking figuratively about smelly feet/sin. It’s so easy to recognize the stench of someone else’s feet to the neglect of our own. Recently some co-workers and I were confronted by some challenging, threatening, bossy, rude, and demanding people. My friends and I asked the Lord to cause us to love these women. Like trick-or-treaters demanding candy, they threatened when they didn’t get what they wanted. What they didn’t realize is their demanding actions, lack of kindness, and over-zealous words, made them appear to have their cause before Christ’s purpose….and who wants to reward or “treat” that kind of behavior? We would put a Twix in their candy bag, they complained they wanted a Snickers. We would give them a Snickers, and they complained it had nuts in it. Have you ever known people like that? Now here is where we have to take off our masks…have you ever been a person like that?
It has been my experience that people who act that way are calloused by insecurity, hurt, or wounds; greatly in need of some kindness, love, and affirmation. Sometimes it is best to gently confront such behavior, but one must make sure it is of the Spirit and not of self. Other times, as it was in our case through the example of Jesus in John 13:1-17, it is best to humbly wash their feet and love them. Feet can be dirty, smelly, ugly, have bunions, callouses, corns, and even worse, they can have fungus. You can’t polish over fungus and get rid of it (no matter how pretty the nail polish). Untreated, fungus can start eating away the very toenails meant to help protect the feet. Sin has a way of doing that to our hearts and lives too; it can eat away at our relationships and the blessings in our lives. Even though “pushy pink” polish can’t, love can cover a multitude of sins. When God calls us to wash someone’s feet, He doesn’t ask us to heal the fungus…that is His job. Zecheriah 4:6-7 tells us, “’Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” He can level mountains into plains, or in other words, remove bitter bunions and forceful fungus, buff off crass and contentious corns and callouses, clip, file and polish tumultuous toenails (and hearts!). We just need to submit, trust, and obey and that is when we will experience the thrill of victory over the agony of “da-feet”. The interesting thing about washing other people’s feet is you have to stoop down to do it, which positions you to take inventory of your own feet. After this trip I can see my toenails are chipped. It looks like it’s time for a pedicure.
Shela-Lyn Boxberger
Christian Author, Speaker, Interpreter for the Deaf and Bible Study Teacher
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