My New Shoes

November 17, 2009 Cindy

I went shopping yesterday and bought a great pair of shoes.  Nothing fancy just great fur lined flip flops with a zebra print.  I KNEW I had to have them the minute I saw them.  They did not disappoint!  My tootsies were very happy in their new shelter! 

 

This morning I slipped them on with my comfy jeans and headed off to church.  Fifty-five degrees was a little chilly.  I don’t generally wear flip flops in November.  In fact, I haven’t owned a pair of flips flops in a very long time.  I can’t remember the last pair I owned.  Still no worries… chilly or not, I have cute new shoes. 

 

Quite a convicting message today about giving generously over & above the tithe.  I was feeling pretty good…I participate in canned food drives, gave a bunch of pennies to the United Way last week, filled a stocking for a Marine, and a shoe box for a child in Africa.  I’m pretty generous — tither or not.  So now we come to the end of the message where Pastor Cal gives the life application challenge… How many would give the shirts off their back if asked?  Obviously not many — not really practical or modest.  How ’bout giving the shoes off your feet? 

 

This is where the internal dialogue starts:  What? Wait!  These shoes?  My new cool shoes — just bought yesterday???? 

 

Apparently there are a lot of under privileged and homeless folk who could use a new pair (new to them anyway) of tennis shoes.  Oh good, they’re not looking for flip flops.

 

I guess there’s also many women who can’t land a decent job because they don’t have appropriate footwear to wear to an interview.  Well, thank goodness, you shouldn’t wear flip flops to an interview!  

 

But wait… any shoes will do?  Certainly not THESE things!  They’re just silly flip flops!  They hardly even count as “real” shoes… my feet are freezing in them! 

 

So I make a quick deal with God,  I’ll walk down front to give my regular offering.  If I see any flip flops in the growing pile of shoes there on the stage, I will leave mine. 

 

So far, so good… no flip flops.  Tennis shoes, cowboy boots, fancy pumps, plain flats…and a worn pair of hot pink flip flops.

 

I really tried to justify NOT leaving them.  I wanted to keep them.  They were mine…I loved them…

 

and it was THAT VERY FACT that convinced me that they had to go!  At that moment, I loved them more than I loved God’s children!

 

Lots of barefoot people leaving church today!  Thank you, Lord, for the lesson.   

To see some pictures of this outpouring go to http://bit.ly/43UUo2.

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One Comment Add your own

• 1. davestout  |  November 17, 2009 at 1:30 AM

  Great post. I am honored to be the first comment in your new blog. Keep up the good work!

  Reply

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