The Right Shoes

Image by Keith Johnston from Pixabay

Read and reflect on Ephesians 6:10–20.

… having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace … –Ephesians 6:15 (RSV)

When he was still living at home, my son David took the shoe trophy for the Huey household. He had a pair of shoes for every occasion and activity, it seemed: baseball, basketball, skateboarding, school, play, work, fishing and hunting. It would have been so such simpler – and cheaper – if only one pair would do.

Each type of shoe, however, had a different job to do and was made accordingly. David’s baseball shoes had spikes, which gave him traction as he dashed around the bases or through the grassy outfield. His basketball shoes gave him the ankle and arch support he needed as he ran and jumped on a hard, wooden floor. Sturdy work boots, like hunting boots, gave him support and protection as he tramped over the uneven terrain of the woods in search of firewood or game. The shoes he wore for fishing were made to keep his feet dry, while the boots he donned for hunting were insulated to keep them warm. If his feet hurt – or were cold and wet – it would have been hard for him to concentrate on the job he had to do. The right shoe helped him to do the job right.

Just as David needed the proper footwear in whatever he was doing, so I need the right “shoes” for the job God has given me – to take the peace He offers through His Son Jesus to the world around me (John 14:27, Matthew 28:20, Acts 1:8). 

Before I can bring peace to others, however, I need to have peace with God through His Son. Only then will I have the traction, support, warmth and protection I need to run life’s bases or stand my ground against the enemy.

Only when I have God’s Son in my heart do I have the right shoes on my feet.

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace…” (Isaiah 52:7 NIV) Lord, let my feet be beautiful!

From God, Me, & a Cup of Tea, Vol. 3, © 2019 Michele Huey. All rights reserved. Used with permission.