Whose shoes? My shoes.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?  Do you know?  Can you even begin to count them?  I have to confess that I am not a collector of shoes.  I have exactly nine pair of shoes which is the most shoes I’ve had in many, many years.   Usually, I have only four pair of shoes – tennis shoes, sandals, white church shoes and black church shoes.  There are an endless number of types of shoes:  shoes for running, walking, dancing, soccer, baseball, bowling, ballet, golf, and basketball.  There are clogs, water shoes, flip flops, boots, pumps, flats, heels, slippers, boots, moccasins, Mary Janes, Oxfords, penny loafers, rain boots, etc…   There are shoes that match any color outfit of the rainbow.  Shoes can slip on, tie on, Velcro on, strap on, or buckle.  There are shoes that light up, shoes with bedazzles, and even platform shoes to make you taller.  I love the itty bitty shoes you can find for infants.  They are just plain adorable.

Even young children love shoes.  They love to slide their little feet inside their older siblings’ or parents’ shoes and take a walk.  They stagger forward as they struggle to lift those heavy shoes, toddling on the verge of collapsing and even at times wiping out.  It’s hilarious to see our children trying to fill these huge shoes with their little feet; we laugh at the absurdity of them trying to walk in gigantic shoes.  Somewhere I think I have pictures of each of our children at a young age trying to walk in Brad’s bulky tennis shoes.  It reminds me of the saying, “You have big shoes to fill”.  It is an idiom that means someone has to meet high expectations about something/someone that came before.  It can be meant as a compliment or forewarning depending on its context.

The truth of the matter is, as God’s children we are not called to fill someone else’s shoes.  He calls us to walk in our own shoes and follow Jesus.  God has created each of us with unique spiritual gifts, skills, abilities, personalities, and experiences that make us who we are.  The only person we are to imitate or even to try to follow after is His son, Jesus.  It is not hilarious for us to try and slip our feet into someone else’s shoes; it’s absurd.  We toddle on the verge of collapsing and struggle to even lift these bulky shoes, and sometimes we wipe out.  It’s not funny; it’s frustrating.

1 Samuel 17 gives the account of David and Goliath.  David is just a shepherd boy and his father sends him to check up on his older brothers who are serving in King Saul’s army.  While there, he hears Goliath’s challenge and begins asking questions.  David's older brother get upset with him and rebukes him.  Eventually King Saul hears about David and summons him.  David accepts the challenge to defend God and Israel, but King Saul is skeptical that this young man can succeed.  He couldn’t see how David could defeat the giant when his mighty warriors wouldn’t even attempt to fight Goliath.  King Saul has David try on his own armor -- a bronze helmet and a coat of armor.  David puts on the armor and tries it out.  He basically tries to walk in King Saul’s shoes and do it his way, but after a few steps David realizes it is too cumbersome.  He tells the king he can’t use his armor because he is not used to them; he can’t fill King Saul’s shoes because they are too big and bulky.

This is the part I love….David takes off the armor and starts to walk in his own shoes.  He was comfortable with who he was and how God had made him.  He knew he couldn’t be like King Saul, he had to be himself.  So he collects five smooth stones from a stream and then with the power of God, his sling, and stones, David, the shepherd boy, defeats the giant!   Israel had warriors with armor and weapons and skill and experience and this little shepherd boy did what they could not.  Not because he tried to be like them or fill their shoes, but because was himself.  David trusted in God and used his gifts and abilities and past experiences to defeat Goliath.

I challenge you today to walk in your own God given and shaped shoes.  Stop trying to fill someone else’s shoes.  That is not what God intended.  He has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) and wants to use you to build His kingdom.  He’s created you with a specific purpose, a purpose different than everyone else.  He’s shaped you to fulfill that purpose and has given you what you need to succeed.  It may not be a great voice like your friend in the choir, but he’s given you something and no matter how big or small it is, we are responsible to be obedient and use it while we follow God’s plan for our lives.  At the end of time, God’s opinion is the only one that matters.  We’ll be accountable to Him for our walk.  So if anyone ever tells you that you have big shoes to fill, smile politely and gently remind them that you are not called to fill someone else’s shoes.  God has called you to walk in your own.  I think you’ll find that your own shoes fit and feel better anyway.