As we are given the enormous privilege, again, of ascending into the heavenly places to worship God in the name of Jesus Christ, take special care. We are walking into the throne room of God, and so we must take off our shoes — we are entering into a most holy place. If we walk in thoughtlessly, we will track in all kinds of filth.
If we are not careful, what we have on our feet is “far away” from our thoughts. To the extent we think there is a problem, we could easily think it is really someone else’s problem.
The problems may vary — different people step into different sins. We compound our problems by taking a perverse pride in having a tendency to step in a different kind of filth than our neighbor does. But do not consider his problem — you, put away your sin, you, confess your disobedience. Anger, lust, envy, backbiting, private ambition, all must go. Take off your shoes.
The metaphor can be adapted many ways. Wipe your feet, take off your shoes, consider where you have been walking, look down for a moment, in all humility.
We are coming to worship God the Father. The Lord Jesus washed the feet of His first disciples. So let Him wash yours.