Never Ending Praise The Lord

Ephesians 6:15 NIV “…And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

I’m not sure why, but I’ve never been a person who likes to wear shoes. If I can go barefoot- count me in! I’ve been lectured many times- as a kid and as an adult about not wearing shoes. Fortunately, I’ve only been injured once. Now, you’d think after a trip to the ER for stitches I would have learned my lesson. However, being barefoot will always be my first choice. Besides, I have a cool scar to show off now and a story to tell! The bad news is that if there was an emergency, I would not be prepared to run!

As much as I hate to admit it, I obviously take a similar stance on spiritual footwear. Let me explain.

Just like with the breastplate, a soldier’s footwear was made to be sturdy, and it was studded for traction. Most of the military success seen in Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar were because their armies wore footwear well fitted with sharp nails. This aided in their ability to take long marches with increased speed over rough terrain.

Here’s what stood out to me while I learned about this. Even if they had the best equipment in every other aspect… none of that would have mattered if their feet were wounded. That would have made them easy prey.

That’s what the gospel of peace does. It prepares us, makes us ready to take action, ready to share truth, and ensures that we are ready to GO when and where we are called. With our gospel of peace on, we’re also no longer easy prey.

I’m not always ready to share the gospel truth, or go where and when I am called. I stumble… probably because I’m barefoot spiritually- and literally.

While I’m getting much better at putting my gospel of peace on every day, I have to wonder how many times a day God thinks, “There she goes again without her shoes!” It reminds me of toddlers…you put their shoes on five hundred times a day and two minutes later, they’ve already taken them off.

I know my gospel of peace shoes are on because I’m ready. Ready to share the truth of the Gospel, and defend the hope in my heart that Jesus brings. I know it’s on when I walk into opportunity with peace flowing right through me with every step I take.

I tell you what… if “they” ever make me some fancy gospel of peace sandals, I might just be willing to compromise….