For an adult to serve a young person is rare in many societies, where respect is often expected to flow from the young to the old. Yet, Pastor Taei Siaki didn’t hesitate when he took a basin of water, sat down, and washed the feet of his spiritual son, Kenny Mahit, during the first Communion Service this year.
This heartfelt act taught Kenny the value of humility and the importance of serving others.
Foot washing, a tradition during Communion Services in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, often stirs mixed emotions. Members are encouraged to reconcile with those they’ve had differences with, seeking forgiveness and peace before partaking in the bread and unfermented grape juice that symbolize the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
For a church minister to kneel and wash the feet of a young person rather than a peer is a powerful reminder to parents. It calls them to acknowledge their own mistakes in relationships with their children and to lead by example in showing respect and forgiveness.
During the foot washing service, tears are often shed as people admit wrongs and apologise. The result is a congregation filled with joy and harmony, free from grudges.
Even Jesus Himself exemplified this humility, setting aside His status as King to wash His disciples’ feet. He taught, “If I then, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
In the regions where Jesus lived, foot washing was a gesture of hospitality, as dirt roads left travelers in need of such care. For over a century, the Seventh Day Adventist Church has included this tradition in their Communion Services, held every first Sabbath of each quarter.
As part of the service yesterday, Kenny Mahit, from Vanuatu, joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Nuu with his fellow youth members. For him, this special occasion reinforced a timeless truth: staying humble is key to a successful and happy life.
