"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" ( Romans 10:14-15 )
Yesterday in church we were called to walk out of the church leaving our shoes behind. No one knew that they would be asked to leave their shoes. People wore their good shoes, their favorite shoes, their comfy shoes, their new shoes. Over 1800 pairs of shoes were left in the church to be donated to a cause that will show third world country people that we LOVE them. So that they can hear the Good news.
I want to have beautiful feet! One day I will stand before Christ and I want Him to think my feet were beautiful. I am called to serve in a controversial way, and it is hard. I don't mind the hardships, I try not to worry about the gossip or let it hurt me. I pray and seek where God would put me and then I do it. If I hadn't gone through the desert recently I may not be able to remain where God has me, but He made me strong for this day.
There is a price for following Christ. From being ignored to ridiculed, from being beaten to being killed. If we can't bear the ridicule and the loss of relationships, how will we bear the cost of death? Will we lay down our very lives if we walk away when we are gossiped about?
I debated walking away last week. Not away from Christ, but away from where He has me. I felt that maybe I could just serve Him anywhere, why did it have to be here? Was it worth what I was losing to stay here? But the truth of the matter was more was the cost of relationships worth staying in God's WILL? Could I step out of God's will for relationships and still be blessed?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
I look at this and I know that if I can't stand firm with losing people I love deeply over Christ, I would not be able to hold firm to my faith when facing death. I don't choose to lose relationships, but I can't disobey God to save them.
I want beautiful feet. I am so thankful that my God always loves, always protects, always guides, and always comforts.
9 people think my kids are qtpies:
This makes no sense! How does it benefit a third world country to send them 1800 pairs of heels & dress shoes? Can you imagine a woman walking to her village in 4 inch heels? A man in the field wearing mens dress shoes? And what if those shoes your church forced you to leave behind were your only pair? They cost you/your family money and you had no choice but to leave them? You have a large family, that is a lot of money to replace 6 or 8 pairs of shoes!
And how did 1800 people drive home that day?? It is not legal to drive without shoes? Did the church call tow trucks and cabs for all of you??
The Bible says to obey the laws of the land - but your church just broke a driving law 1800 times over (well, assuming even those 1800 were all families of 4, that is 450 people driving illegally!!!) What if you have to go to the store after church? You could not due to no shoes. How is that thinking of the families? Why not ask for one pair of gently used or new shoes per person to donate rather than rudely stealing the ones off the very feet of their 1800 people?
Where is it illegal to drive without shoes?
I stand corrected (I Googled) apparently it is not illegal... I assumed it was illegal and always told my children this. It is still wrong to force people to donate
Wowser, anonymous, no one was forced at all. There was a surprise donation, and no one had to do it. Many did not. You missed the point entirely. I did not give my shoes. And I wasn't looked at weird, or yelled at or coerced.
And they are not given heels to walk around in. Look up Soles for Souls and find out their business.
I guess technically I have no idea if it is "illegal" not to wear shoes, but I do know that it is some sort of a safety thing. However, you found for yourself that you were making a big deal out of something that didn't really exist. It was a beautiful thing for people to do.
OH, lol you think our church generally wears heels and dress shoes??? LOL THAT is the problem, almost no one wears them. We are a church that ministers to the hurt, lost and addicted. They are not in the position to dress "churchy." They are struggling not to do drugs and need Jesus something terrible, no one cares about church clothes.
I am literally one of the maybe 10 women out of the 2000-4000 people attending that wears heels because I love them!
Mn. DOES have penalities against driving barefoot. So does other states. I just checked it out.
Ask a MN Trooper. http://brainerddispatch.com/lifestyle/2011-01-21/ask-trooper-some-states-little-known-laws
"Many people still don't realize that there is no law against driving barefoot. (We recommend a shoe because it gives you better control compared to driving barefoot or driving with sandals, slippers and the like.)"
That is from a MN police officer.
I'm not really sure why you want to tear apart this really great example of the Love of Christ, but this is just a ridiculous nitpicky topic that has no bearing on truth. people were happy to love and serve people and sacrificed their short walk back to their CAR, so that someone else who can't afford shoes, much less a CAR, would have a safer walk one day.
Look at the bigger picture and not on how you can tear apart people who are actually out there DOing what all Christians should be doing.
I am not seeing where Anonymous got the idea that the congregations shoes were stolen from them. Are you a Christian? Do you have some sort of agenda against this organization?
It looks like a personal vendetta or something.
I have no idea what the pastor said, I wasn't there, but I did not get any sense of coercion in what Qtpies7 said about it. A bunch of people were asked if they wanted to walk out of the church barefoot and leave their shoes for people who have none. Doesn't seem very evil to me.
Good job, Christians! You have to go out into the world, and while you are not personally going, your shoes show your love!
Anonymous #2 - When I checked on the barefoot thing I found different information. I will accept the trooper info. Sorry.
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