Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus?
Sometimes I like to imagine what it would have been like to hear Jesus preach. I used to think I would definitely have been one of the 12 disciples. But I realize now that is a bit presumptuous. I do like to think I would have at least followed Jesus around to hear him teach, preach, and see all the amazing things he did. I like to think of myself sitting at the feet of Jesus taking in everything he said and did.
But then I realize I have to be honest with myself. I don’t know for sure if I would have hung on every word that came out of Jesus’s mouth. Of course it’s possible, but lots of people who did hear him didn’t instantly and automatically follow him or even begin to understand what he said.
I know, all of this is speculation. The real test is how am I making an effort to follow Jesus today? Or to use that Bible metaphor: How am I sitting at the feet of Jesus today?
What does sitting at the feet of Jesus mean today?
And what does that even mean: sitting at the feet of Jesus? There’s no way we can do that literally today because Jesus isn’t here in person like he was 2,000 years ago.
Is this question even relevant?
Oh yes. It’s just as important now as it was back then.
So, since we can’t do it literally, what does it mean metaphorically to be sitting at the feet of Jesus today?
In the Bible, sitting at someone’s feet could mean a variety of things. A student would sit at his teacher’s feet to receive instruction. It was a recognition of the teacher’s position of authority and a way to show respect.
A sign of humility
Sitting at someone’s feet was a symbol of humility. And it showed the close relationship between a student and his teacher.
On a deeper level, especially in the case of Jesus and his disciples, sitting at the feet of Jesus represented their recognition he was the Messiah and their spiritual commitment to follow him.
So, as I said, even though sitting at the feet of Jesus isn’t literally possible to day, you can still fulfill the spirit of it.
Now you may be wondering: Hey James, this all sounds pretty good. I would love to have sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to him teaching, but how can I capture the spirit of that today?
Reading the Bible while “sitting at the feet of Jesus”
Well, just think of all the words of Jesus recorded in the Bible. The next time you’re reading one of the stories about Jesus teaching or preaching, take a moment to put yourself in the story. Imagine you are right there hearing those same words come out of his mouth.
As you read those stories in your Bible, close your eyes and just imagine the authority Jesus spoke with. Think of the love he expressed. Think of the forgiveness that poured from his heart.
In the spirit of humility, hear his words as if he is speaking them directly to you.
This has been a really helpful idea to me over the last few years. For decades I used to read what Jesus said and think of how it applied to other people, how they should follow him, how they should change the way they thought and acted, how Jesus would correct them or solve their problems.
But one day it hit me I needed to take in what Jesus said as if he was saying them to me as something I needed to hear, do, or repent of.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus in church
This new approach of accepting that Jesus’s message was for me and not just for me to tell someone else about was a real eye opener. And it culminated one Sunday on my way to church. The thought came to me: What if Jesus was preaching the sermon at my church that morning? Would I pay attention more closely? Would I let myself get distracted?
I decided to pretend it was Jesus preaching that morning. Everything was exactly the same during that service as it usually was, but I was so inspired because I was listening to Christ instead of people.
I did an episode about this a while back you might enjoy: Episode 203: What if Jesus Preached at Your Church? I’ll have the link in the show notes.
People in the Bible sitting at the feet of Jesus
Let’s look at some times in the Bible when someone sat at Jesus’s feet. Sometimes they even fell at his feet in reverence, respect, and recognition of who he was. Sometimes it was a request for healing.
I love the time Jesus is visiting Mary and Martha of Bethany. Jesus is teaching. The disciples are listening intently. But Martha is preoccupied with her duties of hospitality since it was her home. She is a bit frustrated that her sister Mary is not helping her but is sitting at the feet of Jesus with the others, listening to every word with rapt attention.
When Martha complained to Jesus, his reply really puts things in perspective.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 NIV
Martha could have been sitting at the feet of Jesus
I think Martha gets a bad reputation here. She was a devoted follower of Jesus too. But in this particular case she didn’t give herself permission to listen to Jesus as Mary and the others did.
What if she had been like Mary at that moment and just been sitting at the feet of Jesus hanging on every word? Eventually there would have been a natural time to get up and take care of making sure everyone had something to eat and do whatever needed to be done.
What is distracting you and me from “sitting at the feet of Jesus” today, from expressing the humility and devotion to learn from him, from what he tells us in the Bible? Have you ever been preoccupied with day to day duties that become a distraction from deep prayer and Bible study? I sure have. I have had lots of those Martha moments, but there have been lots of Mary moments as well.
Martha tasks with a Mary mindset
What if you could go about doing the Martha tasks with the spirit of Mary’s sitting at the feet of Jesus? Have you ever tried doing your daily chores or going about the demands of your day as if you were embracing the humility of being guided and taught by Christ?
A friend said to me years ago when I was complaining when it was my turn to wash the dishes after a meal: Just because your hands are in the dish water, doesn’t mean your mind has to be.
This has really helped me take on those daily and sometimes menial tasks with more love. I actually love to do the dishes now. It’s not a burden, but a way to express love and gratitude, a way to be more Christlike in everything I do.
A healed man sitting at the feet of Jesus
There’s another time when someone was sitting at the feet of Jesus. It may have been a teaching moment as well, but it was primarily one of gratitude and acknowledgment of healing. But it’s not the first time this person came to Jesus’s feet.
It’s the time Jesus healed the man who was possessed with many demons and called himself Legion. When Jesus came toward him, he threw himself at Jesus’s feet in protest. Later, after Jesus had healed him, people from the town found this same man, healed, and sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Here’s the first part of that story.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” Luke 8:28 NIV
You might say this man, by throwing himself at Jesus’s feet, even in his deranged state, was perhaps unconsciously acknowledging Jesus’s authority without even realizing it.
A holy moment
Then, a after Jesus healed the man, he once more came to Jesus’s feet. But this time it was a very different scene.
and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Luke 8:35 NIV
For the man that was healed, it was a holy moment of gratitude, of recognition, and of willingness to be guided by Jesus for what was next.
And that’s exactly what happened. When the people saw this man restored to sanity, it actually frightened them and they asked Jesus to leave. It was just too much for them to comprehend.
The man who was healed wanted to follow Jesus, wanted to be with him. That makes sense. Wouldn’t you want to follow the man who healed you? But Jesus had other plans. He knew what would bless the situation the most. He said,
“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:39 NIV
Sitting at the feet of Jesus means doing what he tells you
This fellow, who had been possessed and then healed, took the humble position of sitting at the feet of Jesus. And Jesus took that spirit of humility to bless him even further. Imagine the joy the man experienced as he shared his testimony of healing with everyone in his town. They all knew who he was and what had happened. And he was able to prepare the way for them to be more receptive to Jesus when he returned to their town later.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus implies a willingness to do what Christ instructs you to do, even if it’s not what you wanted.
Falling at Jesus’s feet
There are other times in the Bible when people throw themselves, or others, at Jesus’s feet to request a healing.
This is not exactly the same thing as sitting at the feet of Jesus for instruction, but it is very closely related. That’s why I’m going to talk about it. It was a way to acknowledge Jesus’s ability to heal and their faith that he could heal. It showed respect. It showed a willingness to do what he requested. It showed humility. And for some it was an acknowledgment that Jesus was the Messiah.
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. Matthew 15:30 NIV
When you’re in need of healing, do you put yourself at the feet of Jesus, so to speak? Do you come humbly, with complete assurance, into Christ’s presence with the full expectation of healing?
Jairus at the feet of Jesus
There are lots of different reasons why you might be sitting at the feet of Jesus, or positioning yourself at the feet of Jesus. The Bible gives a variety of examples.
Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. Luke 8:41, 42 NIV
Jesus went and healed the girl. This was not a casual request. Jairus was desperate. But that didn’t stop him from coming to Jesus and it didn’t stop Jesus from going with him to heal his daughter.
Gratitude at the feet of Jesus
Once a man cast himself at Jesus’s feet after he was healed. This was a moment of gratitude.
Remember when Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one came back to thank him and praise God. How did that man express that gratitude?
He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:16 NIV
And let’s come back to Mary, the sister of Martha. After their brother Lazarus had died and Jesus hadn’t arrived until four days afterward, Martha and then Mary both went out to meet Jesus and lament that if he had gotten there sooner, Lazarus wouldn’t have died.
Mary again at the feet of Jesus
But when Mary comes to Jesus in this way, she doesn’t just say those words. She did something much more reverential.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:32 NIV
Here again, Mary is showing her loyalty, her devotion, her love, her recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. It’s easy to pass over this detail when you read the story, but there is deep significance in her action.
Just as with all these people in the Bible, there are many ways we can come to the feet of Jesus. It can be for instruction. It can be for gratitude. It can be in humble recognition of Jesus as the Messiah.
It might be in desperation. It could be in hopelessness when you think it’s too late for a healing or a solution to a problem.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus is a mindset
Sitting at the feet of Jesus today, is not so much a physical action. It’s more a way of thinking. It’s a mindset that seeks, finds, and submits to Christ’s presence and authority, his love and ability to heal.
You can approach each new day as an opportunity to be taught by the words of Jesus, to be guided and inspired, and to be healed.
But just so you know, there are times when you will not be sitting at the feet of Jesus or casting yourself down at his feet.
There are times when Christ invites us to come to him, but then immediately puts us to work. If we were sitting at his feet or throwing ourselves at his feet for whatever reason, we don’t stay there for long. Jesus puts it this way.
You won’t always be sitting at the feet of Jesus
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
There are times when we’re sitting at the feet of Jesus. But there are also times when we walk with our feet in rhythm with Jesus’s feet. Think of two oxen in a yoke pulling a plow or a wagon. They are working together to accomplish a task.
You are yoked with Christ and your feet are walking in partnership with his feet. You’re working together. You can’t do it all by yourself. And you will accomplish so much more with Christ than if you tried to do it on your own.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus, or putting yourself at the feet of Jesus, for whatever reason, brings more blessings than you can imagine. It opens your heart to receive God’s truth and love. It brings God’s healing presence into your life. It opens your eyes to see things you never saw before. And it brings new possibilities and purpose to your life.
Blessings come from sitting at the feet of Jesus
These blessings flow into your life because you come humbly to the feet of Jesus, you come into the presence of Christ to learn, to be guided, and to be healed.
The next time you’re reading something Jesus says in the Bible, imagine you’re there, sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing and absorbing every word as if he is saying it directly to you.
And don’t be surprised when you hear the voice of Christ talking directly to you.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus today is a metaphor for being in Christ’s presence. The more you come into Christ’s presence in this way, the more you make yourself available to be instructed, inspired, and healed by Christ.
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Photo Credit: StockCake
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and church mentor. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by learning to think, pray, and love like Jesus. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Luke 10:38-42 NIV
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 8:28 NIV
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”
Luke 8:35 NIV
35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Luke 8:39 NIV
39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
Matthew 15:30 NIV
30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.
Luke 8:41, 42 NIV
41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house
42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
Luke 17:16 NIV
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
John 11:32 NIV
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
