Thursday, December 19: “What Kind of Sandal?”

Thursday, December 19: “What Kind of Sandal?”

Matthew 3: 11b: “He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals.” The ceremonial job of removing the sandals of a guest before they entered the house was given to the lowest of servants, with good reason—no one else would do it. After any journey, the sandals would be encrusted with mud, scum, filth, and the odorous emission of the animal transport used in that day (which was much worse than mere carbon monoxide). To unlace the sandals would lead to all that refuse ending up on your hands. Yet, in his humility, John claimed he was unworthy to perform even this lowly duty for the One to come, Jesus. Would we refuse this task out of humility, or revulsion?