As Jesus Washed the Disciples' Feet...

This morning, I walked out of my apartment at 5:30am to open the door for the girls who work Sundays in the kitchen, and into an interesting (and thankfully rare) situation. Apparently, one of the girls was doing her chore of sweeping the (metal) stairs, making enough noise that I'd heard it in my apartment, and continued to sweep noisily when a couple of the other girls started yelling at her for making too much noise so early. It ended up that one of the girls who was yelling came downstairs, and the 2 of them got into a fight of words and actions. Meanwhile, the other girl threw the mop towel down the stairs. So, I tried to get the facts in order, which is a challenge when it's everyone else's fault, but I think I got the story straight, at least for the most part.

I was praying about what to do for discipline, and trying to think of things that would lead them to serve one another, since the main issue at hand here was a major lack of respect for one another. Then the Lord gave me this idea from His example to us in how He served His disciples and told us to do the same, when He washed their feet.

It really went beautifully, thank God. Right after lunch, I got together the soap and towels and warm water in 3 wash basins (trying to avoid any rude comments about sharing someone else's foot germs here,) then went and called the 3 ladies into my apartment. I had them read John 13:1-17, so they would know where this lesson was coming from. (Good for them to read it to keep them more personally involved and less like me preaching at them, but also because their Spanish reading skills are obviously much further advanced than mine!)

After reading, I told them, so just as Jesus did, so we are going to do. Confirmation that it would be an excellent discipline for them came as I brought out the wash basins for their feet, and they started suggesting that I assign them a task of something to go scrub with the water in the tubs instead of carrying out our foot-washing lesson. It was honestly a good lesson for me too (rarely are we given the responsibility of disciplining another without being personally challenged in the process.) I washed each girl's feet first and then had the other two girls put lotion on each of the other two. Afterwards, I talked to them a little more about the love the Lord showed us and how that is how we treat each other in our home, that we are a family here; although we're unrelated by blood, we are sisters in Christ, and so this is how we treat each other. I told them how I know they are beautiful ladies--that that is who they really are--and how I want to see that come out in their behavior. As I spoke these words to them, I started to get choked up, as I was confronted with the love the Father has given me for the beautiful young ladies, which includes the desire to see them grow, blossom, and live to their fullest potential, as the Lord has created them.

It ended with each of us praying together and with them apologizing to each other and agreeing to treat one another with respect, to not fight, and to come to me with problems when they're in over their heads in the future (and with me leaving them lowered a couple of privilege levels.) So I am thankful for our resolution, for the Lord's wisdom in how to handle this situation, and also for the fact that this is the first incident of this nature since we moved in--pretty good for 10 months together with 17-20 teen girls! (A year at a residential rehabilitation center for teen girls always helps to keep these things in perspective!) Praise God for working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! (Rom.8:28)