This passage is set in the time of the Passover. Jesus is the Lamb of God and Passover proclaims this. The only way to safety is through Jesus. Even though His disciples did not understand what He was saying in these moments, Jesus still spoke to His disciples about what would happen. Jesus knew that the Father had placed all things under Jesus' power. Jesus knows who He is and why He came. It was the lowest of the servants (slaves) who washed the feet of others. To the disciples, it was utterly shocking that Jesus was washing their feet. Jesus knows what we truly need and what will make us clean. Though washing feet was shocking, what was even more shocking was that Jesus would willingly be crucified. Jesus laid down His life for us, is there anything that is too much or to small for us to do for Him. We follow a Lord who has called us by name and says to us that we must do what needs to be done to love one another. There are times when God tells us to do something and we just do not get it.
Jesus laid down His life to rescue us, we are to do the same. Even Judas had his feet washed by Jesus and Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. We often look at situations and try to decide who or what is we should spend on time on. Not Jesus, He still washed the feet of Judas. He calls those who follow Him to follow His example.