“God the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. Habakkuk 3: 19
Do you think about your feet? Not really huh? Do you know how incredible our feet are? In an average day of walking, our feet experience forces totaling hundreds of tons – equivalent of a fully loaded cement truck! There are 26 bones and over 100 muscles in our feet. We have about 25,000 sweat glands in them too. Hence a lot of smelly feet out there!
I never thought about my feet until I seriously injured one and couldn’t do the stuff I enjoyed. I couldn’t play tag with my grandkids or walk in the woods with my husband. I sadly took them for granted. I felt so defeated that I would never run and play again.
So many lessons can be learned about our feet. One big thing I learned when I lost the usage of one foot is that it humbled me. I thought I could do anything with them because I always did. They were my superpower that gave me the privilege of running races in middle age. I was always a sports enthusiast and was hard on my feet. They held me up! I also thought feet were quite ugly except for kids’ feet. When I would see my foot doctors, they amazed me by their knowledge and how they esteemed feet. One said you must take good care of them like a surgeon takes care of their hands. Another one was so gentle as he manipulated my muscles and bones into place.
Jesus taught on feet quite a few times. Didn’t he wash his disciples feet during the Passover meal? And wasn’t that shocking to them all? I mean, who wants to wash dirty, smelly feet, especially at eating time? He had no problem doing it. I would. Sorry! He was teaching us servanthood, humility and the beauty of ourselves. He took one of the lowliest parts of our body and raised it up lovingly in his hands. Much like an artist would with their craft.
If Jesus valued feet so much, shouldn’t we? Whether they are broken, calloused, misshapen, or ugly, they are beautiful – not because of what they look like but because of their value and worth. They are feats of amazement! If you can walk, jump, swim, run or skip that’s a gift! Everyday we use them so we can’t forget or neglect them. God wants us to take care of every single part of our bodies to glorify him.
It’s been over a year since I’ve injured myself. I can walk and play tag with my grandkids now. I am very careful on how much I’m on my feet. I also don’t think about them every second of the day like before. I don’t want to take them for granted either. I want to balance my thoughts on Him. I want Him to be my super power and not be defeated. I hope you do too.
John 13: 1-17
“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”