In your everyday walk, your everyday life, it is essential to take each and every step with Jesus. What does that mean? How do we put shoes on that concept? How do we put on the shoes to take those steps and know we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ? Put on your shoes and let us take a walk on the wild side.
Shoes
Most people walk through life with shoes on. But very few actually put shoes on that are designed to walk in the word of life. Matter of fact, most people are more concerned about how they look in their shoes than they are about how their shoes function. Shoes, as we know, are meant to be functional.
So let’s put on the shoes that make us ready for the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:15 NIV
…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
The word “gospel” means Good News!
As followers of Christ, as those walking every step of every day with Jesus, we should be and will be ready to share the Good News of Christ in every situation. But wait, “…that comes from the gospel of ‘Eirene’ (peace).”
“Eirene” (peace) means “wholeness” and “salvation!”
What God Allows?
So in translation, we can say “The good news of wholeness and salvation.” And do you know what the word salvation means? It means preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. Isn’t it funny how we’ve been programmed to limit the word of God, the potential of it, and what it really means?
Carmen, my wife, has an open house today. I am actually writing this while her open house is happening. On the way to the open house, we passed a sign in front of a church building that said,
“Why does God allow suffering?”
You can ask many people this question and most people will either not know why or wonder why such a “loving” God WOULD allow such a thing.
Truth is, God knows his business. He didn’t leave us clueless, he left us responsible. Two things:
- First: we do live in a broken world that is riddled with sin and causes many disastrous and sad consequences. That was set in motion by sin.
- Second: He, God, put the Church (the body of Christ) in charge and gave us the power of His Spirit to execute. He has given us authority.
Matthew 28:18-19 ESV
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that
Where is the Problem
The church is the problem. We, as the church, pass by suffering often. Probably every day in some form or degree. Yet we just walk right by it and say, “Why does God allow that?”
Ever wonder why we are called The Body of Christ? Because we are His body. He is the Head of the body, sitting at the right hand of God. With His guidance and His Spirit, we are to go forth, as His Body…as if we are actually Him, reflecting who He is in Word and Deed, with the Gospel of Peace. It is a walk on the wild side because it is wild to be different and to make a difference.
Challenge of the Week
Are your shoes just for looks? Don’t play Christian like I did for so many years. People around us don’t need us playing Christian. This suffering world needs us to wear the functional shoes of the Gospel of Peace, the Good News of salvation. The Good News of wholeness and restoration. Who will you be the gospel to this week? Don’t just walk by and ask, “Why does God allow this? Be the Good News. So be it.
