As I have been preparing for our up-coming Women’s Retreat, I’ve been immersed in thoughts of shoes as the theme for our retreat is In Her Shoes. I’ve been thinking about the kinds of shoes I wear versus the kinds of shoes you wear. The truth is, we all wear different shoes, literally and figuratively. I may like a wedge but you may prefer a flat. Another friend may enjoy wearing heals, while still another prefers the comfort of a sneaker. You may wonder, why would Jacqueline want to wear a wedge, isn’t a flat more comfy? But what you may not realize is that because of the bone spur on my heal and the fallen arch in my foot, a wedge takes the pressure off of my heal, while a flat makes my foot achy and tired.
The same is true of life outside of shoes. My preferences, concerns, burdens and experiences are different than yours, and those differences altar my perspective, change my thought patterns, and affect my reactions and emotions. Yours do as well.
So rather than compare, judge, or condemn each other because of our differences, why not celebrate, with compassion and grace, our different lives and gifts? Why not help each other out, encourage and equip one another to walk in the shoes and circumstances we’ve been given?
Romans 10:15b says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” The Good News is the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Good News is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)
Friends, we all need grace and as sisters in Christ we should be quick to lavish grace by extending measure upon measure of love and understanding to each other. We need to tell our sisters how amazing they are when we see them walking in the shoes and circumstances of life. We need to, with gusto, cheer them own and encourage them to rock the shoes they are wearing. Because remember, sometimes we choose our shoes, but at times they choose us.
Romans 1:12 says, For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Let’s strive to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Let’s strive to strengthen one another by speaking words of life and love.
As my momma always said, “Jacqueline, always extend grace to people because you don’t know what it’s like to be ‘in her shoes,’ honey. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” My momma’s right. We need to treat others with the same grace and love we want to be treated with and leave the rest up to Jesus to handle.
Happy Monday, sweet friends!
Jacqueline Heider
Director of Women’s Minsitry,
Prayer Ministry & Together at Warren