The Gift is Always Free

I read a quote this morning that said something like this: “The difference between religion and Jesus is that religion judges a person for having dirty feet and Jesus kneels down and washes them.” This is perhaps the most challenging part of following Jesus for me, to put aside my critique and bend myself to the task at hand. Now sometimes people would rather not have their feet washed. They would rather have a chat or a meal or  a warm smile, or a house, or a bed. Being prepared to put aside our assumptions about others and being willing not to control another: all of this is the Way of Christ.

It is not up to us to decide, but to provide the freedom for others to think, so that they can choose wisely. Equally, we cannot pass by without offering our help and support, without our judgement. The word that we use a lot in church is release: release from sin, release from evil, release from death. That word in Greek means to untie bonds, to free. Jesus never asks people for a payment of loyalty, or love, or cash. The gift is always free.

Most of us want to give something back. For those of us in the church, when we consider the rich heritage of faith or of belonging, or of hope that we have received, I would imagine that we would want to express our gratitude. And how can we do that? The scriptures tell us it is by loving God through loving others, more than religion or tradition. We can appreciate the world around us by being agents of healing rather than harm. We can forgive each other in the way that we know we have already been forgiven.

Everyone has dirty feet; everyone has hands to wash and heal. May we all join in the circle of service and belonging.