How Beautiful Are The Feet

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15

(image from a NY Times article - unsure of details)

Today I thought about buying new shoes, not for any particular reason but just because. Now its not like I don't have dozens of pairs of shoes in my closet and for those who know me, know that one thing that I am a lover of, its shoes. But as I was moving through the aisles of the store, like an animal searching out its prey, waiting to pounce on the perfect pair of pumps...Selah happened. I paused in that moment and I was suddenly rushed with many questions all beginning with who, what, why, where and how. And as those questions rushed over me like water I realized that they all where connected to an awareness of the people of Africa. Questions like:

• Who really needs a pair of shoes? Do you?
• What could I use this money for that would be a better resource for the greater good?
• Why do I think that I need another pair of shoes when organizations like TOMS Shoes are trying to send them throughout the world for those truly needy?
• Where is my heart?
• How can I use my passion and love in better places other than a shoe store?

I have been pulling images from the Internet over the past month to see the faces, devastation and beauty of Africa and I remembered this one. Of a man, with no shoes on. Now, if he was walking around the United States with feet, exposed to the elements we would probably snub our noses at him and wonder, why in the world does this man have no shoes on? Or worst yet, we would judge him by the ash on his feet and claim that he is just a bum. But is there more that we should be seeing when we see a person, this person, any person without. Not just shoes but anything. People are going without in this world everyday and its not because they are lazy, don't want to do better or whatever excuse we place on them. But the reality is in different parts of the world people are genuinely struggling to make it through and sometimes, just sometimes, that struggle is simply walking from place to place because they don't have a pair of shoes to wear.

Today that line from the Bible speaks to me...how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news? And what is that good news. It certainly isn't in the consumerist values that we latch on to daily. It's also not in the way that we snub our sisters and brothers by not even paying attention to their greater needs. But the good news, maybe is locked somewhere in the idea that you/I/we are called to not buy 100s of pairs of shoes just for ourselves. Maybe the good news is somewhere in the idea that you/I/we are called to show the love of God through simple gestures for others. Maybe the good news is in you/I/we when we say no to the societal views of beauty/class/economic standing and see the beauty in a man with "ashy" feet and say that is my brother.

In my Selah moment, I chose not to buy a pair of pumps but instead pause in prayer for my brother, my sister and every child that are without, not only here in the United States or Africa but throughout the world.

Blessings and Remember

I AM YOU AS YOU ARE ME