I love a sale…especially a shoe sale! Shoes are amazing. They come in hundreds of colours and so many styles – sensible walkers, glamorous stilettos, funky flats and oodles more. Taking a quick glance in my closet I can see knee high boots in black and brown. Ankle boots, also in black and brown! I have pumps that are black, navy, taupe (beige, cream, tan…) and more. There is a pair of strappy, sparkly purple sandals, which go perfectly with a dress I have worn to many weddings. A pair of denim wedges that I bought for a great price but have never worn because the heel is far too high. (They’re going to the consignment shop this spring!) I have a pair of old Birkenstocks that I rarely wear as they’ve stretched out of shape, but I hate to get rid of them…just because they’re Birks! There are even a pair of bowling shoes! I haven’t league bowled in over 20 years, yet there they sit… just in case! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are also runners, walkers, thongs (aka flip flops), water shoes and hiking boots; if that’s what I have now, imagine how many pairs have I purged over the years because they were no longer needed, they fell apart, or they didn’t fit?
I think shoes are very much like relationships. Some people come into our lives when we need them, and then they’re gone. The sparkly sandals are wonderful, and look great at a wedding, but I wouldn’t wear them for every day. They’re like the friends I have who are fun to get together with for an evening of “gossip” and wine, good in the moment but not for day to day. As an avid walker, I choose my runners with much thought. Are they comfortable? Do they have good support? Is there cushioning to protect my knees? (Damn knees!!) My long-term relationships are like my runners; friends that will go the distance. Along this route we call life they help to soften the bumps and are reliable. And while sometimes we may go for months with no contact, when we do come together again the fit is as great as ever. Now, my hiking boots are really something. They are strong and sturdy; dependable for when I have a heavy load to carry. When backpacking over rough terrain, I know I can count on them to protect my feet from sharp stones; keeping my ankles strong if I start to slide off the path. In my relationship world my “hiking boots” are my family; my mummie (😔) and daddy; my husband, my siblings, my children. They are my stabilizing “footwear”; they help keep me upright, they make me stronger, they protect me, they share my burdens, and they help guide me.
God is like my hiking boots. Without Him my ankles are weak and when foundation becomes rocky, muddy, and unstable, it’s easy for me to stumble and fall. Or my rubber boots; He keeps my feet dry when the waters (trials) start rising!
What’s even more wonderful is that with God, we can take it one step further; we can skip the boots and go barefoot! With chipped nails and callused heels, we can present ourselves before Him, naked, with all our flaws and inadequacies. We can come bare before Him because we know that He will cover us; He will protect us. Be it with runners so we can keep up, hikers for rocky foundations or rubbers for when trials begin to rise up on us! No matter the terrain; be it rocky, sandy, muddy or full of potholes, God desires to walk with us. And while we may sometimes need Him to carry us along the way, we know He will always protect us.
Walkin’ with you… and with Christ!
Roberta – Saskatchewan