Washing feet at Tech

In my last blog I talked about evangelizing on Texas Tech's campus. For a few weeks now I've wanted to go on campus during a football game day and wash people's feet. As ridiculous as that sounds, I try to make application of the bible in all areas of my life. John 13 has been a very meaningful passage of scripture to me:

"So Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'
Jesus replied to him, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'
'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.'
Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.'
'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!'
Jesus answered, 'A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean...'
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. I tell you the truth, 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.'

So with this passage in mind, four of us set up at memorial circle in the middle of campus four hours before Texas Tech hosted Texas at home. Given that it would be difficult to stop passers by for the purpose of washing their feet, we decided to ask people to take a survey that would lead in to the foot washing.
The first question of our survey was an icebreakert. Our first real question to our survey was, "What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word 'Christian'?" To which we got a variety of replies: Jesus, religion, bible, God, Julian, Church, salvation, hypocrite, judgmental, cross, music, savior, faith, and me. Following that we asked whether they believed in heaven and/or hell, and if so, where they thought they'd go if they died today. 43 responded that they did believe in heaven and hell, 7 responded that they didn't, several responded that they didn't know, and one responded that he believed only in heaven, and he didn't know if he'd even end up in heaven. Most of those who said they believed in heaven and hell said that they'd end up in heaven, two said they'd go to hell, and five said they'd go to purgatory (a place the bible says nothing about) which would save them from hell. We then asked whether they'd heard the story of Jesus washing his disciples feet, to which most replied that they had. Our final question was whether or not they'd let someone wash their feet if someone offered. Most immediately replied with a "no" or in some derogatory way, but quite a few said yes. Of course those "quite a few" turned into "a few" when they found out we actually had a bucket of water ready to wash their feet. In the two hours we were there, we washed six people's feet, all of whom were greatly appreciative. We finished by spending quite a bit of time with a group of young college guys who were full of questions and converstion.
A lot of people look at the passage in John 13 and suggest that it's not relevant in a modern context because most of the foot washing had to do with Jewish ritual. Maybe they're right to a certain degree, but I consider the words of a student who's feet I was washing, "If I were a king I'd have people wash my feet all the time. This is awesome." To which I respond in my thoughts, "If I were a servant, I'd be washing feet all the time." Just as Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, Christians are called to be servants. Today was an impact-full reminder of the purpose of being a servant. When I consider my King and the life that he lived, I'd have it no other way. I am Christ's servant. In the words of Paul, though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible for Jesus. This is my goal, of which I fall short often, but have come to understand the reward when I remain faithful. I'm grateful for the example of servitude I find in Jesus' life through scripture, and am filled with hope, knowing my leader has paved the road for the narrow way.