Should I cut off my hand or leave it alone? This is the question I’m dissecting these days. As a disciple of Jesus, obedience to Christ is the foundational principle I operate on, which means that I need to pay attention to his words and commands. In Mark 9:43, Jesus commands us that:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.”

“If your hand causes you to sin” is, of course, the qualifying phrase. Let me see, what do I do that might mean I’m guilty of sinning? I think it’s best if I don’t publish that list here. I’ll just admit that my hand might need to be cut off. Would you be interested in attending the hand-cutting-off ceremony? I have a rather spectacular gathering in my imagination, which of course I would be prepared to supply for inclusion in the Salvation Army’s ceremonies book, but I digress.

Thankfully I understand that Jesus was being figurative in speech. It is a warning to us all that sin should be dealt with and not allowed to fester. I’m aware that my great need is to listen and obey. As such, I’ve also been challenged by another command of Jesus that followed his washing of the disciples’ feet. Jesus’ words are from John 13:14:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.”

This is another literal command of Christ, which challenges me, not because it requires me to cut anything off, but because it requires me to sacrifice. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but most of us are into comfort, not sacrifice.

I’ve been thinking a great deal about this lately. I think it could be reworded in this manner: Now that I have blessed you, go bless others! As I’ve reflected on what blessing others might look like, I’ve made a list of possibilities. I could bless others by: encouraging them; helping my elderly neighbour shovel his snow; providing transportation to the doctor for someone who can’t drive; inviting a widow or widower for a meal in our home; buying a homeless man a meal in a restaurant; and using my resources and time for others.

So that’s what I can do. But as I’ve been working this through in my own mind I have also thought about what I might not do! Selfishness seems rampant, so I could endeavor to be unselfish, which most of the time amounts to blessing others. Blessing people with words, with action, with intentionality seems to me to be about “washing one another’s feet.”

So, rather than cut my hand off, I think I will roll up my sleeves and get them wet! Let the foot washing begin.

Major Fred Waters is an Area Commander in the Prairie & Northern Territories Division. Edmonton and the north is his perspective presently on family, friends and ministry. Fred enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and gardening. Together with his wife, Wendy, he has shared in the experiences of youth ministry, corps officership and administration.