Do the Shoes Still Fit?

Do the Shoes Still Fit?

5/11/12

The invention of shoes has been an incredible instrument in the mobility of the human race.  The shoe has been the object of many projects over the centuries to improve many aspects of the label.  Without a shoe man would have a great deal of difficulty of getting around from one place to another whether it was across the street or across the country.  It is also common knowledge that our feet take us where our hearts desire to go and sometimes the shoes that we wear allow us to make that journey quicker than without shoes, but what does God say about shoes and how they affect our travel?  If we allow God to cover our feet with His Word so that we may be protected with every step we take in our lives.

The invention of the shoe actually changed the course of man and our history.  The shoe’s development has allowed humans to greatly increase their ability to maneuver around the world which has provided many opportunities for us to increase our communities in every imaginable way.  The shoe has also bound us in some ways by allowing the same advancing initiatives to harm the human foot a quick example is that of the binding of the Chinese woman’s foot so that her feet stay small even though the remaining portions of her body continue to grow normally.  Overall the show has provided the human with great results and should be known as a modern feat for humanity.  Let us look at some individual uses for the shoe both the good things and the bad things and how this issue relates to our walk with God.

One of the first examples that “pops” into my mind is that of the soldier.  A soldier’ boot is one of the most important articles of their battle gear in which many non military people may not realize.  Not only is the boot needed for walking, hiking, climbing and running it also provides an extra area for storing needed items when times of need arise.  You would be amazed of how many things that you could store in the side of your boot everything from candy bars to small knives and a bunch of things in between. 

When I was in the military and in boot camp I distinctly remember the “dressing” day when we received our fatigues.  As we progressed down the line not much details were paid to the fatigue uniforms per say hardly any of us received the actual size of clothing that we wore at that time since it would be known that we would lose weight and build muscle so our bodies would automatically change in size.  However, when it came to the boots that was a different story they were very detailed in the measurements of our feet.  I found that odd at first but soon realized why when we placed those things on our feet.  It took just a few seconds to realize that our new boots were not tennis shoes and that it was very important that the size was accurate.  As I think back to that time and all of the marching that we did if the size of our boots were not measured properly then our feet would have been a total mess and we would be ineffective as a soldier basically rendering us useless; and to think that those were actual good marching conditions with very little rough terrain usage, which would come into play later in my military career.

Most of us have heard of the fairy tale called “Cinderella” and how the glass slippers played an important role in that story.  In this case a prince’s heart was at stake and all stops were taken so that he could find the one person to whom the shoe fit.  I remember reading that story when I was a kid and having many simple thoughts about the story including all of the various dresses and uniforms that probably would be worn by the people invited but I never gave it much thought of how specific a shoe would be in finding the true love of the prince.  A shoe would be the perfect way since it would be fit perfectly on the one who wore it.  Others could lie about the clothes they wore or the jewelry or any other artifact but they could not lie about the shoe, it was specific in nature and designed for that one person.

The importance of the shoe fitting a person’s foot is important since our feet are the items that actually get us to the places that we are wanting to go and our feet are the only portion of our bodies that come in contact with the ground on a continual basis while we are moving or standing, with the exception of the occasional human trait of stumbling and falling and in this case other parts of our bodies tend to make contact with the ground.  We would be a hurting unit if we had to continually walk around on different surfaces without shoes.  Some of us stand on our feet all day and we are tired at the day’s end, just imagine what we would feel like if we completed this barefoot.

Not many of us are prepared to walk around our neighborhood, town or city streets without any shoes on our feet.  There are many people out in the area who do not care about anyone else or anything else but themselves and will drop or throw things onto the sidewalks or streets without thinking twice about their actions.  But we have decided to walk along those same sidewalks and streets and subject ourselves to these items that might do us harm.  Even if a pair of shoes does not fit properly we can still run the risk of harming our feet by these objects and it is important for us to understand this concept on a continual basis. 

This concept also applies to our spiritual lives as well, the shoes that we have on our spiritual feet must be the correct fitting and the properly made ones for our feet.  We as humans have a tendency to neglect our feet by the shoes that we wear and it is logical to say that we do the exact same thing with our spiritual feet.  Our spiritual feet is just as important as our physical feet since they have the same capacities as our physical feet.

The size and make of our spiritual shoes needs to come from one designer and his name is God.  Only God can design a proper spiritual shoe to fit our specific needs.  God knows where our spirits will be travelling to and what dangers lye in front of us.  He also knows that His shoes will protect us from the dangers that cross our paths.  Our Godly spiritual shoes also direct us in God’s paths and covers our feet when attacked from the ground or designated swipes at our feet.  Even in the spiritual realm mobility is a key factor in our daily walk with God and it is a must to have the ability to move when necessary, not retreating but sometimes God does want us to turn a bit and change directions.

Always remember that our spiritual feet travel where our spiritual heart desires to go, so it is imperative to have the proper shoes on when we accomplish this mission.  We do not always know what will confront us along our journey and even though our eyes may be focused on the road an ambush could be seconds away.

On this note I must stress the importance of NOT voluntarily taking off the God’s spiritual shoes.  The shoes are part of the entire armor that God provides us and yes it is called armor as in a defensive and offensive protective device used in time of battle.  There is a battle going on for your spirit and it is literally a life and death battle with you being the sole target.  When we voluntarily take off these shoes, or any part of the armor, we have made the statement to Satan that we are available and vulnerable for anything he desires to throw at us and I guarantee that one of the first things that he will do is swing a chain and wrap it around our ankles and then pull on it, effectively knocking our spirit off its feet and onto its back; and what is sad is that we do not realize what has happened until after we have hit the ground.

There may be times that god’s spiritual shoes may become uncomfortable and even out right rugged, but they are perfectly made for us and there is a reason or will be a reason for that sort of fit sometime in our lives.  It is at this time that we need not only to recognize these details about our spiritual shoes but also how to maneuver in them so when that time does approach we will be just as comfortable in them as if nothing was occurring on our daily walk in the park.

There are parts of the world that are not as blessed as we and in some areas of the world even shoes are a luxury item.  I have recently written a message about my trip to Haiti and how a boy with one shoe changed a large portion of my life.  There are millions of people that do not have shoes to wear on their feet to make their daily activities easier.  These people are not aliens from another world nor do they have other types of mobility organs to help them move around, they are humans and are built just like us folks who live in the western world.  AS most of us have seen through commercials their feet look horrible and are battered and cracked yet they continue in their ways and really do not complain much about it but they continue to lack and at the same time continue to damage their bodies.

The same types of people exist in the spiritual realm as well, their spiritual feet are barren and do not have the protection needed to prevent spiritual attacks against their lives.  In many cases they are not even aware of their spiritual condition and some know about their condition but do not wish to have anything else to do with the spiritual side because of past events in their lives.  This is where we need to come in and show God to them or re-introduce God into their lives.  It is our responsibility to show them of the attacks that are being launched towards them and the toll it is taking upon them, which I can guarantee they already know this to be occurring.

It has been asked by many people in the world throughout history and now if god is relevant for our daily lives and if so in what capacity.  Many would argue that they are doing nicely on their own and since they believe that they are strolling along well, they do not need God or His ways.  I argue the fact that this sense of false belief is a deadly one.  It is a set up and it is only a matter of time before a hit is placed in your direction that will have meaning and you will have nothing to adequately defend your spirit when this occurs.  Why have your spirit damaged when it can be protected against incidents such as this.  It is not an “if” this might happen it is a “when” this will happen, a guarantee, for sure thing, however you wish to put it, it will arrive.

It is important for us to wear shoes that are feet compatible and will allow us to maneuver adequately on a continual basis.  The same goes for our spiritual lives as well.  God provides us with a wonderful pair of spiritual shoes that will supply every need that we may ever face in this area.  He offers this protection and guidance for nothing, the price has already been paid which was a high price but God deems you so worthy of this price.  Is your feet protected by a pair of worldly shoes that do not understand the importance of spiritual attacks or are your feet protected by spiritual shoes that God has provided you because He knows your ways and the direction that you are taking and can foresee the imminent dangers.  Return back to God and allow Him to restore you into His service and protection, it is a jungle out there and many traps have been set for your demise.  Follow God and He will show you exactly where to place your feet, one step at a time.

DLB