Gospel shoes

We have discussed the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. The third piece of equipment Paul instructs us to put on is "shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace." Ephesians 6:15. The idea behind the shoes is the ability to stand firm and not be moved. The Roman soldiers wore sandals with metal spikes. There are some historical sites where the indentions from these shoes remain. Can you imagine how intimidating it must have been to hear a multitude of Roman soldiers marching in your direction? I would imagine it would have been difficult to push these soldiers back as they dug into the ground with a firm stance.

When I was in college, I worked at a sporting goods store. Most of my time was spent selling shoes for various sports and activities. I remember a lady asked me if she bought aerobic shoes if she could wear them casually to go shopping. I told her if she purchased the shoes, she could wear them wherever she liked. I was joking of course. Although some types of shoes can be worn daily, others are only good for specific functions.

Snowshoes and flippers would look weird if not worn in the proper context. Some people work in environments that require steel-toed shoes for safety. If you are watching the Olympics, you may notice different types of footwear at different events. The right shoes give an advantage, and the wrong shoes could result in poor performance or injury. The Apostle Paul is setting the context for spiritual warfare and is using a practical illustration to teach principles that will help us to overcome adversity. Without the proper footing, it would be easy to be pushed around.

We understand the need to get along with people from different perspectives and backgrounds. However, if a person is not firmly convinced that his or her religious convictions are based on facts and not mere feelings, that person cannot be expected to take a stand. History teaches us that people who hold to Christianity are not easily persuaded to turn from their faith. Consider the Christian martyrs. It was not that long ago that we saw men lined up to be beheaded by terrorists. Someone once said that people are not willing to die for what they believe to be a lie.

1 Corinthians 15:58 describes how we are to stand firm, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Christians believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah. He has established the kingdom of God and provides salvation for all who believe in him. Apart from Jesus, there is no other way to God, John 14:6. We have confidence that we will see eternally significant results from our lives and ministry.

My wife can take several hours to get ready to go somewhere. When it is time to leave, if I am not wearing my shoes, she tells me I am not ready.

I think about readiness as preparedness. An expert in natural disasters instructed her audience to tell people to place shoes by their beds in case of a disaster, such as a tornado. No one would want to walk through rubble without shoes. We find ourselves vulnerable when we are not prepared. This is especially true of spiritual warfare.

I am thankful for the gospel of peace. When a person finds peace with God, that person can be at peace with other people. The gospel is that Jesus fulfills the requirements of God's law for us. He paid for our sins, on the cross, so that we could be forgiven. We can forgive our enemies as Christ forgave us. Our prayer is that others would find mercy as we have. We can trust God to punish the wicked, so we do not need to repay evil with evil or take vengeance on our enemies. As we face spiritual warfare, we can stand firm in our faith knowing that the victory is ours in Jesus.