Shoes of Peace

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”– Ephesians 6:13-15

I’ve been thinking about shoes lately.

Like many families, we have way too many of them, spilling out of closets and somehow never finding the shoe rack of organization. The other day I spoke with a women whose adult son recently died. She described how small things can trigger tears, especially his shoes. She remembers him in his shoes and having a living soul, and now that he’s gone, the shoes remain with memories. My husband’s co-worker died many years ago at a young age. Tears sting my husband’s eyes as he describes how this man’s Crocs under his desk after his death moved him to tears. Knowing those were his Crocs, remembering him walking around the office day after day in them…. What is it about shoes?

We live our lives in shoes. Shoes can tell others about us and what we are about. People in other countries may not have shoes. In Africa I met kids who ran around in no shoes or flip-flops made from car tire rubber and straps. Our church cut out blue-jean material into shoe patterns for people in Africa who did not have shoes. The material went to sewers overseas who would make the shoes and distribute them to people. Whether our shoes are made from leather, canvas, fabric, rubber, fur, or anything else, we live our lives in them.

Paul talks about putting on the shoes that run to tell the gospel of peace. That is the theme for my women’s Bible study this week, so I’ve been thinking about it. This piece of armor can bring us peace no matter if our circumstances are in chaos around us. And we can use these shoes to share peace with others. If we live our lives in shoes, and can have this incredible peace from God enveloping us daily through “putting on our shoes of peace”, what’s stopping us?

This week, let’s live out our calling in our shoes of peace. God’s shoes. Shoes that can take us extraordinary places. Shoes that create memories. Shoes that tell the world the Good News!

Prayer–“God, help me live out my life in shoes of peace. Open my heart and mind to your transformative power in my life, the power to know your presence and peace no matter the situation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”