Tuesday, April 20th, was a rather busy day for my wife, Pat, and me. The events of that day were the culmination of several years of tracking a growth in Pat’s side. We’re not talking a reverse Garden of Eden experience here. God didn’t transform one of her ribs into another Adam!

For the past few years, Pat’s been aware of a lump in her side. Several different doctors told her not to worry, it was probably a benign cyst. Well, the past few months, this lump began to grow. She began to experience some pain and discomfort from the pressure of belts, waist bands, etc.

We decided to track it further and made an appointment with a fine surgeon. He came across as a knowledgeable and skilled doctor. That suited me just fine. He didn’t tell us directly to have it removed. However, when I asked him what he’d do if it were in his wife’s side, he immediately said he’d have it taken out.

Tuesday was the first opportunity we could get on the surgery schedule. At 9:00 am, we showed up at the hospital for a pre-pre-pre surgery appointment. Forms had to be filled out. Questions had to be answered. Everyone was very helpful and kind.

After we left the first round of forms and questions, we went to the pre-pre surgery area. Here, Pat filled out more forms and answered more questions. Many of the questions were the same, but she patiently filled in the blanks. They gave her an ekg, checked her blood pressure, and asked still more questions.

While she was doing all the hard work, I was dutifully keeping her company and kinda overseeing the entire procedure. Nobody asked me any questions. I don’t think anyone really cared what I thought about the whole, nearly endless procedure. In our family, I’m known as the guy who “drives and pays”. That’s essentially the role I was designed to fill today. BTW, Pat’s surgeon told me, after he was finished, that the lump he extracted appeared to be totally benign and nothing about which to worry. We praise the Lord for such a fine result!

While sitting in the crowded waiting room, I confess to a certain amount of boredom. I sat there and caught myself staring at the floor. As I looked around the room at floor level, I noticed people’s shoes and feet. I decided to analyze the various kinds of footwear first and then look at the person who filled that particular pair of shoes.

One pair of shoes were actually work boots. They were very heavy duty looking and had laces that reached maybe ten or twelve inches high. The toes of these boot fascinated me. They were scuffed, scratched, and worn. I thought they must belong to a man who worked on his hands and knees. It occurred to me that if the toes of his boots were so worn, the knees of his blue work pants were probably worn, too. Sure enough, they were. Was he a carpet installer? A cement finisher? I don’t know, but I do believe he spent a lot of time working on his hands and knees.

Another pair of feet had a pair of what I call yuppie shoes. They were moccasins with exposed lacing. As I expected, this gentleman didn’t wear any socks with his shoes. These were not work shoes. They were clearly worn for style and, maybe, comfort. His slacks looked like they were expensive, name brand trousers. His shirt had an identifying logo on the pocket. The man looked like a sixty-five year old very successful business person, possibly retired.

There were several pairs of sandals gracing other pairs of feet. Some were stripped down and well-worn. Others looked very expensive and were clearly designer sandals. The people who wore these sandals seemed to fulfill the promises made by their footwear. The gal who had the most worn sandals, wore faded jeans and a rather ill-fitting shirt. The designer sandals were topped with fine looking clothes that were color coordinated.

One of the nurses had a pair of high heel sneakers. Yep, absolutely true. Also, yep, she was of short stature and probably wanted to look as tall as she could. The nurses shoes were all very white and very clean!

There was an elderly lady sitting in a wheel chair who appeared to be drifting in and out of reality. Her feet weren’t shod. They were both carefully wrapped with gauze and surgical tape. I pegged her as a diabetic. Sure enough, a little while later, I overheard a nurse pass along the information that she was indeed diabetic. Many diabetics have serious problems with sores, particularly on their feet that won’t heal and can lead to serious, even life-threatening health problems.

These shoes told something of the lives of the people wearing them. They told nothing of their spiritual journey or lack of the same. They told nothing of their final destination at the end of life’s road.

The Bible has quite a bit to say about feet and shoes. In the Old Testament, we read a very interesting story of deception. In Josh. 9 we read about the fear Joshua instilled in the hearts of the Gibeons because of his victories at Jericho and Ai. The Gibeonites resorted to a ruse. In verses 4 and 5, we read, “They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.” Their patched sandals were part of their trick!

When Moses came to the burning bush that was not consumed by the flames, he was told by God to take off his shoes because the ground upon which he was standing was holy ground.

When Jesus sent His disciples out to evangelize, he told them in Mark 6:9, “Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.” Jesus’ purpose in this passage was to get them to travel very lean. They weren’t to take extra clothing, money, supplies, etc.

In Ephesians 6, Paul wrote about our responsibility to put on the whole armor of God. In verse 15, he wrote, “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” The servant wasn’t considered completely dressed without shoes on his feet. The “shoes” indicated that the servant was fully equipped to do the work of the Lord because of the effect of the gospel of peace in his own life.

In Mark 1:7, John said, “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.” Again, footwear was used to illustrate a truth.

In Exodus 12:11 we read, “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.” They were to be ready in an instant to leave Egypt far behind and head for the Promised Land. They were not to leave with bare feet, but with their sandals on their feet.

I don’t care what kind of shoes we wear in our day to day lives. I don’t believe it matters to God what we wear for shoes. However, our spiritual lives need to be well-shod. Are we ready to spread the Gospel of peace? Are our spiritual feet well-equipped for the journey we’re asked to take?

I’m persuaded that there are many more applications than those that have occurred to me. Can you help me out? Send me the thoughts that come to you after reading this piece. Perhaps we’ll publish your responses in a “Your Turn” article here at Graceland. E-mail me by clicking on the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page or use the “Leave a Reply” box below!

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