13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; -Ephesians 6:13-15 (KJV)
A couple of weeks ago I went shoe shopping with my wife Andrea. I guess she figured with all the Christmas shopping yet to be done she would need a good pair of shoes to get it all finished. She suggested that since I needed a new pair of shoes for working out that I try to find a pair. While she was perusing shoes in the ladies’ section I set about finding a pair of suitable gym shoes. After trying on several pairs I realized I just wasn’t feeling it. Do you know what I am talking about? No pair of shoes I tried on felt right. Andrea found a pair she wanted and came over to where I was. She saw I was getting nowhere and tried to help out. Sadly, I left the store without a new pair of shoes.
These days I have a strict policy when it comes to buying shoes. They have to feel good and fit right the moment I try them on or I don’t buy them. For years I would purchase shoes which didn’t fit just right in the hope they would stretch and over time become more comfortable. Not anymore. These days if the shoe doesn’t feel just right it’s back in the box, baby. Of course this greatly narrows my search for the right pair, yet I have come to believe my feet are worth the trouble.
The Word of God makes the point of stressing the need to have our feet covered when we are engaging in spiritual battles. As we seek to live for the Lord and live the kind of lives which honor Christ we must have our feet covered with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Paul the Apostle had in mind a walk with Christ which carries us forward as we share the gospel with others. Live peacefully, reach out in Jesus’ name, be kind, be forgiving, be humble, and have a close relationship with the Lord. If our feet hurt we will have trouble walking. In a spiritual sense, if our walk is not covered by a Christ-like attitude we will not make it far in our Christian service.
Paul likened the spiritual armor he described in Ephesians 6 to a Roman soldier. Every piece of armor would cover a vulnerable part of the body. A wound to any of the areas the armor protected could bring the solider to a quick and bloody end. In order to keep on fighting he must be able to remain standing. The feet, if unprotected, would be vulnerable to a blow from a spear, sword, or arrow. A similar analogy is found with our spiritual armor. Keep it all in place so we can be effective in our Christian testimony and our daily walk with Christ. The feet are extremely susceptible to an attack. If the devil can knock us off our feet with temptation, discouragement, sorrow, or fear then we may find ourselves falling down despite being covered elsewhere.
Living for Jesus Christ involves having the right shoes. Keep the feet covered by always being prepared to walk forward in faith as you share the gospel with others. The gospel, the right attitude, a loving spirit, and vibrant faith – a perfect fit! Try them on today.
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