(Adapted from imagery created by Harry Wendt of Crossways International)

This is kind of personal, but ... how are your feet doing?

I'll bet they're hot and tired and achy.

Wouldn't it feel great if right about now all of us could kick off our shoes and some nice person would be there to rub those hot, tired, achy feet!

I'd like to talk to you about your feet. About taking care of your feet.

(Yes, I know. This is a wedding!)

I'd like to talk about couples who do feet. In the hope the two of you will become a couple who does feet.

A long time ago (before shoes and before sidewalks)

people going from here to there would end up with

dusty, hot, tired feet --

and perhaps (since they shared the path with

animals of all sorts)

with fragrant feet!

If the travelers were fortunate enough to be guests at someone's home after their long walk, it was customary for the thoughtful host to have his servant wash his guests' feet. Or his wife could do it!

We've come a long way!

(or have we?)

The night Jesus was betrayed and arrested he and his fearless band of followers were eating together.

It was his last supper.

The disciples of Jesus had been arguing along the way as to which of the 12 of them was the greatest,

It ended up a 12-way tie!

So, their feet are hot and tired and dusty. There are no servants around. There are no wives around.

It's easy to picture no one volunteering to wash the feet of the other.

No one was willing to bend down and be the servant.The atmosphere was thick with arrogance and one-up-manship. (Sort of like a lot of marriages we know, right?)

To break the spell -- and to teach them and you and all of us a powerfully important lesson, Jesus got up from the table, took off his jacket, tied a towel around his waist, knelt down and proceeded to become the servant -- he washed his disciples' feet!

When he was done, he said, "Do you know what I have done for you? If I your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have set an example for you, that you should do as I have done!"

Some have called this the "neglected" sacrament. In many churches, foot-washing still happens "on the night Jesus was betrayed." As a matter of fact, I did it myself a few nights ago for a couple of highly embarrassed first communion class members!

Jesus -- and I -- are talking about serving one another. About being humble enough,

giving enough,

self-sacrificing enough,

and, yes, strong enough,

to serve one another. Even -- especially -- in ways that are unpleasant.

We all know too many marriages where there's no way either partner is about to serve the other. Those marriages are as close to pure hell as it gets.

And we all know too many marriages where one serves the other -- but is not served in return

One partner says, "You are here to serve me, and all

my needs!"

And the other is just unhealthy enough to go

along with it.

All of us here today are praying that the marriage the two of you will create will be one where each washes the feet of the other. Where each serves the other. Where each seeks diligently what is best for the other. Where each is unable to do enough for the other.

Something very strong and basic deep inside you is going to rebel against all this, unless ... unless you stay very, very close to the One whose foot- washing ways you will need to imitate.

If you stay very close to Jesus Christ and his loving, serving, self-sacrificing, foot-washing life for you and for all humankind,

then you, __________, will become a husband who does

feet,

and you, __________, will become a wife who does

feet

and you, __________ and __________ will become

a couple who does feet.

It will feel so good! And all the world will know that the two of you are his people because of your foot-washing love for each other.In the name of the One who shows us how to do feet! Amen.

Jim Heinemeier is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Reno, Nevada.