Feet First (part two)

“When you get to Heaven, will you recognise my feet?”

In part one of this blog, I said that this question above had ‘wrecked me’ i.e. it impacted me deeply. It continued to do so, like ripples across a pond. I couldn’t get away from it; I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It challenged and convicted me. I began telling other Christians what I’d heard and encouraged them that they too needed to be at Jesus’ feet, surrendering themselves afresh, spending time in simple adoration.

Then during a prayer meeting, I unexpectedly had my own wonderful revelation about this question, with the focal person being another Mary in the Bible, Mary Magdalene. I suddenly remembered her own simple, brave act of devotion and realised that one of the most famous stories in the New Testament also took place at Jesus’ feet.

In Luke 7 from verse 38, we read of a ‘sinful woman’ gate-crashing a meal at a Pharisee’s house. Despite the type of guests who were present and despite not having a connection with Jesus that we know of, she entered the house with one destination in mind. His feet. Why on earth was she going there?! Why didn’t she go to His head and try to talk to Him? Why didn’t she tug His sleeve or beckon Him away from the meal to have a word in private where she could safely share her desire to honour who He was?

What we do know is that she humbly and boldly approached Him and did one of the most extraordinary acts of worship the world has ever seen, which we still talk about today:

• She stands behind Him at His feet.
• She begins weeping.
• She lowers herself and allows her tears to fall onto His feet, bathing them.

Her humility is evident from the off. Perhaps she was embarrassed, perhaps she felt vulnerable, or perhaps she was discreetly trying to blend in and act like a servant. Either way, she instinctively stood behind Jesus’ feet, not a normal place to position oneself. Then, somewhat unsurprisingly, she began weeping. She had finally got to the most sought-after man in the region and in His Holy presence she was overwhelmed. But she didn’t run off to cry in private; instead she maintained her position and allowed her tears to fall and bathed His feet with them. How many people would we allow to do that in our lives? Surely it would only be those we are most intimate with or closest to: our spouse, a sibling, or a parent?

Mary then did something even more intimate, even erotic: she pulled the length of her hair forward, exposing it from behind her veil/ scarf in front of the men who were present – a huge social no-no at that time – and dried Jesus’ feet with it. This is an incredible act on its own and extremely personal, but she didn’t stop there.

• She kisses His feet.
• She anoints His feet sacrificially with the most valuable thing she has, a jar of ointment.

What an extraordinary thing – kissing his feet! Yet Mary was innocently doing what she knew to do, as a way of expressing her commitment and worship to Jesus as the Messiah. We know too, that she was prophetically anointing Him with her ointment as a sign that He would be buried.

Was this encounter an awkward intrusion for Jesus? Not at all! He allowed it and He embraced it. Then, when the religious host questioned Jesus for not rebuking the actions of this lowly woman, Jesus used the situation to teach and demonstrate the power of forgiveness. Next, in a dramatic conclusion, He tenderly turned towards Mary, forgiving her in front of prying and judgemental eyes, whilst directing His speech at the Pharisee, pointing out his own failure for not doing what she had done.

“You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.”

Luke 11:46

Jesus’ dirty feet had been treated with humble devotion, by someone who considered herself unworthy to have approached Him any other way. Yet the host, in religious pride and arrogance, had failed to honour his most special guest.

Returning back to the story in part one of Martha and Mary, Jesus said:

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41-42

What is our position? What is the attitude of our heart? Are we Martha or Mary? The Pharisee or Mary?

It is evident that being at Jesus’ feet is the better way, the better choice, the better position. In this current climate of uncertainty, change and shaking in the world, let us be like either Mary, humbling ourselves, lowering ourselves, turning away from all other distractions to focus on our Bridegroom’s feet.