Deus Ex Machina Washing Machine

There are several times in ones life that we don't want see things as they are.  For example, remember the first time you realized your parents mortality?  Was it prior to their death?  Or was it as a young adult, finally realizing their sacrifice?  Or perhaps in a moment of candor, the realization is clear of their humanity.  It definitely changes our perspective of them.  I think we become a lot less critical of so many things when we understand how frail they are.  We become a lot less critical of ourselves when we realize how frail we are.  I know that doesn't usually add up to the strong, bullet proof, type A personality so many men are inducted.  For example, have you though about Jesus in ways you normally don't imagine Him?  We all want him to be the Prince of Glory, our Savior, ultimate victor of sin and death?  Do you have a hard time imagining him weeping?  How about this one.  Washing the dirty, nasty feet of the apostles?  I have skimmed over that one too many times, but it is significant.  In the grand scheme of things, He was about to die on the cross for our sins, and yet he washes the feet of the apostles.  No sermon.  No hills packed to the gills of people.  An upper room, a towel, a wash pan.  Lesson dispensed.  Pretty simple for him.  But lets not forget that he washed Judas' feet too.  Jesus knew what Judas was struggling with.  Jesus knew what had to be done in order to achieve what he came here for.  The feet he washed were the ones that would walk his betrayer to his deed.

At times we can be uncomfortable with a Savior who is perfect.  It is what we want.  We want that "mountaintop Jesus", we don't want the feet washing Jesus.  The mountaintop Jesus is cool.  He is the man with the solution to whatever you need.  The throngs fawn over the mountaintop Jesus.  The feet washing Jesus looks us as he washes your crusty, dirty feet and doesn't have to say anything.  When the standard is perfection, our smallest sins are magnified.  That's what we don't want to imagine Jesus washing feet.  Eventually, Jesus is shown for what He is, and we are not let down.  We are only challenged by perfection.