Hey y'all! Happy Friday! We've made it through another week of summer! I hope each and every one of you is doing well, staying cool, and enjoying some semi-quarantined time with family and friends. I pray that in this weird chapter of life, we are diligently working to find ample time to dive into the Word and grow in our knowledge and faith.
A few weeks ago, I was moseying through my favorite little boutique. The whole store was fifty percent off or more and I was dead set on walking out of that place with a super good deal. I was looking and looking and looking and B A M! There they were. Bold. Beautiful. Loud. Snake skin shoes.
That's right ladies, snake skin shoes. I have toyed with the idea of expanding my shoe collection with a few choice "fun" items. Items that were different and daring. These little things were perfect. I tried them on and literally fell in love. Know the feeling? I was so excited to have bought some fun new shoes at the fun price of nine dollars and ninety-eight cents (whoop whoop for the extra forty percent off of clearance). I was so excited that I wore them in public two days in a row.
I put on my snake skin shoes and I feel like a woman and a half. I feel confident. I feel bold. I feel unstoppable. In my snake skin shoes, I walk out into the world without fear. I take step after step, knowing those shoes are going to support me and catch some attention. I don't know what it is, but when I'm wearing them, I feel like I am one step closer to being the level of bold I have always aspired to be.
So now that you've spent the last sixty seconds of your life reading what seems to be a silly story with no deep purpose, you're probably wondering...what's the point? I'll tell you the point.
Physically, yes, my snake skin shoes are good shoes. Emotionally, yes, I feel like a hundred bucks when I wear them. But spiritually, it's not the snake skin shoes that make a difference: they're not the shoes that allow me to step into spiritual battle day after day (thank goodness I don't have to wear my fancy snake skins to war, I'd totally obliterate my ankles). You see, spiritually, God has provided the best shoes I could ask for. They might not be as bright as my snake skin shoes, but the Word says that once I am in Christ, shoes are part of my armor.
In Ephesians 6:14-15, we are told that we can "stand, therefore, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace." Friends, we have shoes of readiness! We have been given shoes that are abundantly ready to face the world every single day. To know and believe in the power of the gospel equips us to go out and share our faith boldly. With our shoes of readiness, we can tackle the obstacles and distractions the enemy throws at us. These are the shoes that should remind us just how loved, strengthened, and emboldened we are. An on-sale pair of snake skin shoes pale in comparison.
Our worth, our strength, our calling, and our gifts are not determined by the physical shoes we wear. Jesus does not care one bit if you prefer snake skin mule flats, classic Steve Madden sandals, good ol' Birkenstocks, or a beat up pair of converse. He cares that we know we are fully prepared to share the gospel. He cares so much that He has already dressed our souls daily in proper spiritual warfare attire. He's already fastened our belt of truth. He's draped over us our breastplate of righteousness. He has put the readiness of the gospel on our feet. He has assuredly handed us our shield of faith and our sword of the Spirit. He's looked us in the eye and carefully put on our helmet of salvation.
What more could we ask for? In Christ, we have the full wardrobe of the strongest, most efficient soldiers. We should be taking full advantage of the power we've been given. We have the gospel. We have the one and only solution to fix a hurting world. And we are dressed for the challenge. Knowing how equipped we are will help us run into battle courageously. Knowing we have everything we need to face and love the world well will help us live out our mission without fear. The enemy's flaming arrows of doubt and disbelief have nothing against us. We have Christ and it is in the presence of Him that evil cannot stand.
Ladies, we can close our front door behind us and step out in faith every morning. We don't have to fear the enemy or the challenges we will be struck by. With the armor of Christ, we are a force to be reckoned with! There is a real war happening for the claiming of souls and we are expected to join the fight. And yes, joining the fight takes incredible boldness. But I would encourage you to take a moment and realize the equipment you've been given by your Heavenly Father. Read through Ephesians 6. Really, embrace your readiness. Walk in boldness, because honey, you've got the best shoes for doing Christ's business.
They'll be blown away.
So let's live this out. Let's take bold steps to further the Kingdom. Let's walk with humble confidence...even if that means pretending our shoes of readiness are as cute as snake skin shoes, it really helps, I promise. ;)
all my love...
Drew
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