My Mom had a stroke in 2012. The stroke she has was not small. It was massive, and my mom’s body was greatly affected.  Currently, she has almost no use of her left arm, and her left leg basically helps her to stand up or walk with assistance for very short periods of time.  Her right side and her mind were not affected. We still have or sweet and sassy momma, and for that we are very grateful. 

Right after her stroke however, it was a different story.  She spent those initial weeks on life support in the University of Arkansas Hospital. It was a scary time wondering if we would lose our mom, but God in his wonderful mercy let us keep her here on Earth.  After she could breath on her own she was moved to UAMS (University Arkansas of Medical Sciences) where she would stay until she was stabilized enough for rehabilitation therapy.

During the time she was at UAMS she needed lots of care as she was unable to do anything for herself.  It was a time of many fears, tears and prayers. We were in a waiting period to see if her body would regain any function on it’s own.  As we waited with her, we learned what it was to care for someone greatly disabled. With each passing day we learned to help her eat and drink her thickened liquid diet.  With the help and instruction from the nurses, we helped to keep her clean,  and made sure she was as comfortable as possible.  

Since my two sisters and I were helping, one of us was with her almost all the time, even during the night.  It was one of those times that we were not there, that leads me to the story I want to tell you.  It is a delicate and personal story. She gave me permission about seven years ago to write about it, but I would get to the keyboard to write and nothing “right” would come out. Today feels different. The story isn’t long, but when Mom told me, it struck such a cord in me and I knew I wanted to write it down so that my children, and all of her other grand children and great grand children, would know.  It shows the heart of their grandma.  The deepest part, I think.

As I said earlier, initially mom needed help with every aspect of daily living. She was bedridden during those first weeks and could not use the bathroom as she does today, nor did she have much control of that aspect of her functioning. The nurses at UAMS were wonderful to respect Mom’s dignity as best as possible, but still, this part of mom’s care left her feeling very vulnerable and it was often “humiliating”, as mom put it.  Can you imagine?  I‘m sure you can.  

The story I’m going to tell you happened one of those rare nights when none of us sisters were staying overnight. It was on that rare night that mom had an “accident”.  I remember so well her telling me how completely embarrassed and humiliated she was. Beyond words. She said she laid in her bed crying over the whole situation, knowing that at anytime a nurse would come in, and on entrance would know exactly what had happened.  And that is precisely what did happen.

When the nurse came in, mom began apologizing right away, but of course as any good nurse would do, she quickly told mom not to worry about it for even one second.  She said she understood completely, and that there was no need to apologize at all. She swiftly went to work carefully washing away the offense, kindly reassuring Mom that it was okay.  In short order mom was all cleaned up good as new.  She recalled that the entire event was all carried out in a spirit of caring and concern, rescuing Mom’s , at that time, fragile dignity. But that’s not the end of the story as it was told to me.

As mom recounted the event, she spoke of how clearly the story of redemption came to her mind.  She called the incident the “Jesus bath”.  She went on to tell me about her humiliation, about the “filth” of her situation. Yikes!  Filth seemed a pretty strong term use, but that was her word of choice . It occurred to her that’s just how we are when we come to Jesus for salvation.  Filthy, and helpless to clean ourselves up, the exact situation she found herself in.  Enter the nurse.  In she came and without hesitation, humbled herself to do the work mom needed in order to be clean.  She did not shame Mom, or make her feel bad in any way. On the contrary, the nurse saw mom’s need, and with kind reassurace did the necessary thing. Mom compared the nurses hands, to the hands to the hands of Jesus. Humbly doing a lowly job.

Mom’s astute mind realized the truth that humility was needed by both the nurse and herself. This is what struck a cord so deep in me.  “What if” she said, “I would have let my embarrassment, false guilt, or humiliation keep me from excepting the help I needed.  And what if that nurse had not been willing to humble herself in order to do a very lowly job”.  

So we call this story “Jesus Bath”.  An allegory.  We are born dead in the filth of sin.  Jesus willingly humbled himself to wash us.  To make us alive and clean before God, restoring our relationship with Him.  But only if we humbly accept His offer to “bathe us”.

Along with Dad, my sister’s and I have been able to help take care of Mom these past eight years.  A year or so ago we realized that Dad would not be able to care for mom in the way he had been doing.  In fact, he, like mom, would require us to look after him as well.  

We have had to help Dad in ways that we never would have imagined.  It has often reminded me of the Jesus Bath story.  Maybe that is why I felt a hesitation in sharing this story for so long.  Perhaps I needed to understand a little more about the humility of servanthood.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have the servant role perfected by any stretch of the imagination.  I am a work in progress! But I am learning that in serving one another, we are serving Jesus.  That we all need “Jesus Bath” understanding.  

May we all allow Jesus to clean us.  To humbly acknowledge daily our need for Him.  To wade out into the deep cleansing waters of His refreshing love and care…

…and swim there.