The feet of Judas

You’re probably familiar with the story of Jesus’ washing his disciples’ feet. To be frank, it’s not something I would naturally do. It was demeaning and degrading. It was serving in its most raw and unfiltered form. So this week I was reading the story again (in John 13), and I noticed something. Before John tells us about the footwashing, he says this:

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. (John 13:2)

So before Jesus picks up the towel to serve these guys, he already knows that one of them is bent on betrayal. Can you imagine what it would be like to be washing the feet of someone who was scheming to turn you in? I suspect most of us would have just skipped over Judas, and gone on to the next disciple.

But Jesus serves Judas anyway. He serves the guy who’s going to hand him over. I’m glad I don’t have to make that choice of whether or not I’ll wash Judas’ feet. But I do have a choice to make, and so do you. The choice is to serve those around us, regardless of their “worthiness.” After all, it's impossible to love others without serving them.