Breakfast at Tiffany’s: The difference between a clean and dirty heart

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8, KJV

It was the final intimate setting between the pre-crucified Jesus and the twelve men who had been the main focus of His love and discipleship. In His typical, unorthodox fashion, the Son of God surprised his friends when he arose from the table and wrapped a towel around His waist. Pouring water into a basin, Jesus invited the disciples to let Him wash their feet—a filthy job typically reserved for a servant. When Peter’s turn came around, he wondered at this and refused Jesus’ offer.

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean” (John 13:8b-11, ESV).

Judas—no less loved and pursued by the Lord than any of the other disciples—had already concocted a scheme to betray his friend for a measly bag of silver. Painfully, Jesus recognized that Judas’ love for money far outweighed any allegiance he had for Him. But this wasn’t the only future betrayal Jesus would make known that night. The same noble yet oblivious Peter who had just asked the Lord to wash him from head to toe, became fearful and confused by Jesus’ talk of leaving them soon.

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 3:36-38).

Judas and Peter were both on the verge of betraying their Savior in awful ways, decisions that would forever change the trajectory of their lives. Even so, Jesus had called Peter clean and Judas dirty. Why this distinction? Not only did Jesus know their future actions, but He also knew the state of their hearts. Judas had already decided who his god would be, and it wasn’t Jesus. On the other hand, Peter may have been impulsive and prideful, but the deepest desire of his heart was to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth because he loved Him more than anything. Both men were sinful. Only one of them was righteous.

Do you find yourself discouraged by current or past mistakes that just won’t seem to go away? Imagine Peter’s anguish after utterly denying Christ while He hung on the cross paying the ultimate sacrifice for the very sin Peter was committing at that very moment. Yet, therein lies the beauty of the gospel and the reason for our hope—even when we have utterly betrayed Jesus by our thoughts and actions. The heart that is humbled and heartbroken before God over their sin as Peter’s will be filled with the power and strength to overcome! For good! Their hope lies not in their human ability, but in the righteousness of Christ through what he accomplished on the cross. This was no doubt the overwhelming joy Peter meant to convey when he wrote these words:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3-7).