Luke 7:38 “and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.”
Of course to us today the washing of feet is an activity that we don’t give a second though. But in that time it was an important part of regular life. The road conditions were not good and people did not always wear closed shoes. However, the washing of a person’s feet was a demeaning activity. It was something you would relegate to the lowest servants, or allow for persons to wash their own feet. For the head of the house to serve by washing a guests feet would signify that the guest was highly honored.
This lady stood behind Jesus, but Jesus was reclining at table. Unlike our tables were you sit and face the table, this table was much closer to the ground and you laid alongside it. This helps explain how the woman could stand ‘behind’ the Lord and yet wash His feet.
The woman’s tears are likely here mentioned only because Jesus mentions them a bit later. That it was her plan all along to wash His feet by way of tears is uncertain, but seems unlikely. Of course this may have been a case where Jesus’ feet were not really super dirty. Sometimes water would be offered to wash feet as a courtesy, rather than a necessity. In any case, this activity shows the woman’s desire to honor the Lord as a very significant person.
Heavenly Father, humility before You is what we so often lack. I do not humble myself as I should. Oh forgive me! How can we ever honor You enough? Jesus is the King of all kings. He is worthy of any and all honors and services that I can possibly render. I will praise Him for all time! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.