Beautiful Feet

I was about to sit on the side of the bathtub the other night to bathe Jessica.  As I took off my sandals to sit on the ledge of the tub she looked at my feet and said, “Mommy, your feet are dirty, let me wash them.”  At first I looked down at my feet which had been all over Bellevue Mountain that day, and said, “No way Jessi!  They are way too dirty…I’ll wash them.  You don’t need to.” 

Then she looked up at me and said, “No, I want to.”  And insisted that I let her.

After seeing her persistency in wanting to wash my feet, I somewhat reluctantly let her.

As soon as she began, my heart fluttered as I saw Jesus.  I saw Jesus, Beautifully and clearly in her and what she was doing.

As she began washing my feet Michaelle walked in for her bath and then joined in.  By this point, of course I was holding back tears…they did this in silence as they diligently and slowly worked on washing my dirty feet…

I couldn’t help but think about how Jesus…a King…Our Savior…the night before he was going to be crucified, washed each of His disciples feet.  I thought of how symbolic it was for Jesus to do this…His humility, this sincere act of service, His love…

 “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. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13: 12-17

Just as I was thinking of the above words of Jesus in the Gospel of John, Jessica looked up at me and said gently, “Okay when I’m done, you can wash my feet.”

So as they finished with me…both of my girls sat on the ledge of the tub as I bent down and washed their feet…tears rolling down my cheeks and my heart beating quickly as I thought of Jesus loving His disciples so much as to gently wash their feet…as I slowly poured water over their small feet, I began to pray.

I prayed over where their feet had been. 

Their feet that tell such stories…Their feet, rough from going years without wearing shoes, scarred from wounds that were left untreated…I prayed over their feet as I thought about their pasts, their journeys, where they had been…not necessarily understanding why God had let this precious 4 year old and 7 year old walk through the pain, confusion, hurt or fear that they have walked through…but also knowing that even with these difficult situations, Our Just and loving Father had them in the palm of His and hand and had us walk into each others lives.

As we sat in silence, I looked into their eyes as they carefully watched me washing…I then began to tell them about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples…I told them how Jesus knelt down and washed each persons feet slowly…the look in their eyes of knowing this was something Jesus had done was unforgettable.

As Jessica asked questions about how many feet Jesus had to wash and as Micha exclaimed she’d seen it in a book…I saw their love for Jesus and their desire to know more…as I finished up and answered their many questions…Micha looked at me and so genuinely stated, “When I see Jesus, I’m going to wash His feet and make them beautiful.”

I smiled picturing that in my head.  After I put them to bed I read a verse that Micha reminded me of and always encourages me…

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness…” Isaiah 52:7

As I prayed over these words and my girls, I thanked God for their Journey and mine- to each other.  Knowing that I would have given anything for them to not have had to walk through the pain and heartaches, but trusting God as our Faithful and Just Father, knowing and believing that He has held them their ENTIRE lives…

I went to bed remembering the first time I saw Michaelle on Bellevue Mountain, almost one year ago from now, barefoot, hungry and sick.  I thought about my journey to Haiti and to her.  I thought about my school and how God used Michaelle to give me the vision for it.  I thought of the long search to find Jessica, and how I’m still trying to put the pieces together of where her journey took her.

I went to bed, believing in God’s divine plan for our journeys, all of our journeys.  How our beautiful feet are given the task, the gift of proclaiming His Name, proclaiming His love, wherever we are, whatever that looks like.