If the Shoe Fits

I remember when I was younger, a shoe was a shoe. You had shoes and boots. Then there were different types of boots and shoes. It didn’t really matter. I usually found something that was the right size and fairly cheap, and that was that. Now my feet have changed and are not in as good a shape. Shopping is now about what fits, what gives the right support, if it is breathable, and comfortable for walking. This makes the shoes much more expensive, but with the wrong shoes, I probably wouldn’t be able to walk that well. For others, they are looking for hiking shoes, running shoes, walking shoes, lounging shoes, etc. What does God’s word say about shoes? Moses, when he met God at the burning bush, was told to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. It appears in the culture that the removal of a shoe is a sign of relinquishing one’s claim. God may have been “forcing” Moses to acknowledge that God owned this land. It also could be symbolic of a servant, which is what Moses (and all believers) was before God. In another account, when Boaz wanted to marry the widow Ruth, by law, had to get permission from the one who was legally bound to marry her, in order to make sure her husbands name and land was upheld. The claim to marry Ruth was illustrated, as the first in line removed his sandals, thus relinquishing his claim. I tried to tell my dad, who was my pastor, that I should be allowed to go to church barefoot since it was technically holy ground, but that never worked. It was worth a try. For those that are fashion conscious, this next example will horrify you. When the children of God went through the wilderness for 40 years, God made sure that their clothes and sandals didn’t wear out. There were no new fashion trends. It does, however, show Gods provision for His people. In another account, it was the servant that washed feet. He would remove their sandals and wash the dust from their feet. Jesus sets an example for us as he washes the feet of his disciples...that he came to serve and not be served. It was an act of humility, love, and spiritual cleansing. We are called to serve one another. Who knew how powerful shoes could be in revealing Godly character and just in fulfilling legal requirements. Lord, whether or not we understand the use of shoes in Your word, we acknowledge that You are Lord and we are Your servants. Amen