Good Morning Friends,
For me the smell of moth balls and lavender brings me back to memories of my mother’s mother. Smells of oranges and pipe tobacco bring back memories of my father’s father. Memories of fresh mowed grass bring me back to my childhood. The smell of glue brings me back to my early school days. And the smell of homemade mashed potatoes and cooked steak brings back memories of family at dinner. I think that all of us would agree that smells have the power to vividly bring back memories and images of people and places. Maybe you like the smell of freshly mowed grass or the smell of compressed air before a rainstorm or maybe the smell of your favorite meal or the smell of the holidays that prompt a memory. Smells are everywhere and the beauty is that some give off the scent of God. And God uses us to spread His knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume. So perhaps the strong but pleasant fragrance we seek is something pleasing to God. Perhaps we seek the sweet smell of success in glorifying God. Today we read scripture about the love of Christ shed in our hearts so that the Holy Spirit might guide us when it is the right time to be the washers of feet. It is the Passover and Jesus is getting ready to ask the disciples to remember him in the wine and bread that will become associated with his death, but it is also an aid to help us to remember the resurrection to come. And if it sets the stage for confession and repentance it can be wonderful as the smell of dirty feet is replaced with the smells of the Passover. The power is in the hands of the foot washer but is also being shared and I wonder what the smells were like that night. For the most part I wash my own feet and frankly would find it unnerving for someone to be washing mine. But here is the point. No task is beneath Jesus, and it is wrong to not allow God into what the world considers menial and what in reality is a very personal aspect of our lives. It is very rarely done in Presbyterian Churches for I am told people tend to want to go out in advance and get pedicures defeating the purpose of the activity in the first place. And the other thing is that allowing someone to wash your feet means giving up control and that is a hard, hard thing for many of us. Still, it is part of the reading of this day, and we need to learn what Jesus is teaching and its relevance for us. So, on this day… this Maundy Thursday story tells of Jesus teaching by example the power of servanthood. And so, I ask you: Do You Understand The Power Of Humility In Motivating Others To Wash Dirty Feet?
Scripture: Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
John 13:1-17 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s Bible story is one of the most memorable incidents of Passion Week. It was the night before Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion. It is a very sad and somber time. Jesus’ public ministry had ended so the intensity of the time was now turned in fullness to the disciples. As they gathered for dinner it was customary for a servant to wash the guest’s feet as they entered the house. This makes a lot of sense because who wants to clean up a bunch of tracked dirt. The food had been cooked… the table set… the water and the basin were there but where was the servant to wash the dirty feet of the disciples? Who will volunteer? Who will willingly serve? Who will justify in their own mind why it is their job? Who will put aside their desire to have others pay attention to what God is doing in their lives and intentionally love? It is Jesus! Really in this setting He is the one who is worthy. He gets up and takes off his outer garment and wraps a towel around his waist, pours water in a basin and shows them the power of recognizing a need and meeting it. Jesus took the appropriate action. He began the process. He started because Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He knew he was going to die but his focus and interest was on others. John wants us to see that Jesus is concerned that the disciples be prepared for what is about to happen. John wants us to see that Jesus was not ignorant of the glory and authority that the Father had given him, but that none of that produced pride in his heart. Instead, we see Jesus coming to us. We see Jesus loving us. We see Jesus receiving us and meeting our needs. This transaction has to be real…not a demonstration of a socially required expectation…but motivated out of love for a purpose that is meeting a present need. No task was beneath Jesus. We should learn from the teacher.
And So, Our sense of smell is powerful in how it permeates our lives. If you do not want to see something you can close your eyes. If you do not want to hear something you can muffle the sound, but when it comes to smells, there is no way to escape. We are not in control. Eventually we have to breathe. For not all smells are pleasant to everyone. In the today’s scripture we see how smells and actions are associated in the life of Christ and how they can remind us of what we are to be and how others are to experience us as we experience God. Here we sense the fragrance of both the suffering servant washing the feet of the disciples and the anointed oil of the conquering king…Here we realize that nothing can stop the aroma of Christ. Here it becomes clear that smells link to memories and so it is not surprising that God has ordained that worship be filled with pleasing odors and fragrances. Smells can inspire worship and a sense of awe and association. In the Bible these smells are associated with the spice filled oil that anoints the king, the perfume used to cover up the smell of death, the incense used in sacred worship, the soothing aroma of a holy sacrifice and the holy food used in feasts and festivals. In the upper room just before the Passover feast these smells permeated the air. Here we learn that we need to be served by Him so that our smelly feet are cleaned. Here we learn that Christ has set an example for us to wash other’s feet…to carry His aroma, the fragrance of life, into the world through our thoughts, words and deeds. Friends, our fragrance is proportional to our love. It is affected by the death in us…. the death around us. Sin stinks. It is repulsive. As called out believers we are to rejoice in the fall smells even as we anticipate the spring blossoms on the vines exuding a sweet-smelling fragrance of victory…the same smell…the very essence of God…. love…. permeating and lingering…helping us to remember that success comes to those who obey. Friends, the aroma of Christ is to be in us drawing people to the message of love in scripture manifested through sincere actions and worship year-round. So, know this, God has a sense of smell and scripture explains that what is pleasing to God is when we demonstrate our knowledge of God and therefore our love of God through Christian actions. Here our life is to smell of success, service, sacrifice and sincerity so that it causes people to think of Jesus. So, think about how to acknowledge Christ through actions. Explore how we can be a sweet-smelling fragrance of life that calls others to remember Christ. Attract others to the table. Discover how to be a spice rubbed on a grilled steak. Help others to remember through the senses we have been given what life…what love is really about. This holiday season discover and apply what you have learned so others might taste and see with a power that goes beyond what we see and hear but also wakes us up to what we smell that reminds us of God’s love in us.
Pray that we prepare by repenting. Pray that we act when the time is right to meet a need of the whole. Pray we are obedient to Jesus realizing that we do not have a better idea. Pray we are secure in who we are. Pray we be willing to wash the feet of our enemies. Pray we understand what Jesus does for us that we are not worthy to do. Pray that our thinking and character is transformed. Pray that we receive the blessing so that we might bless others. Pray that we share power. Pray we give control to Jesus.Praythe next time we smell fresh baked cookies, flowers, popcorn and pleasing perfume…the next time we smell a good home cooked meal we think of Christ. Pray that we spread the aroma of Christ everywhere we go. Pray that we be a sweet smell that leads others to a better life. Pray that we are confident about Christ’s identity in us. Pray that our unique aroma be pleasing to God. Pray that our demeanor has a pleasing fragrance for the world. Pray that we sense God through His word and the Holy Spirit. Pray that we sniff out what others have to share, first holding our tongues while we are reflecting on the smell of what they say. Pray that when we do speak, when we do act, we speak and act in a redemptive way that smells of victory. Pray we feel the need to run away from the smell of sin and into the fragrant forgiveness of Christ’s good company.Pray that the smell of life…the success, service, sacrifice and sincerity of the aroma of Christ permeate our lives. Pray that our actions do not smell of fear but of love. Pray our actions smell of life not death. Pray we are anointed with the herbs and oils of the Holy Spirit so we might smell of God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 