Bulletproof Shoes (armor of God Part 4)
Most important part of combat in my opinion, are the shoes.
Ephesians 6:15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Gotta keep your feet protected. My jump boots had added ankle protection, though little did it help. But the army does everything they can to protect soldiers’ feet. They make sure the boots were healthy for our feet and ankles, long lasting and great traction! Roman soldiers’ shoes were the best available at the time as well. Great traction in slippery muddy hills. You can’t do anything well with bad traction or bad feet. My buddy had a blister once from his heel to his toes. He might as well have been kia. Totally useless for a day. I was always amazed at the junk the bad guys were wearing. Even the Russians! I was shocked by the old, worn out tennis shoes they were wearing. Talk about not caring for your troops.
Bad shoes not only cripple you, but kill your mission. As Christians we must protect our feet, and our traction at all costs.
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Feet are so complex and important. A civilian brother I know was shot by the guerrilla as he was escaping. The bullet entered the back of his heel and came out between the toes. He’s my age now, but still incapacitated. There’s 26 bones in the foot. Under the best of care, he would have still been crippled, but not as much. He was patched up in a third world jungle hospital, so he’s a mess to this day. People that shoot themselves in the foot to get out of combat are crazy. The good thing is, he’s still gimping around in the mountains, still preaching the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ to whosoever will listen to him. His feet are shod (and bulletproof) with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Although his foot is repulsive to look at physically, spiritually it’s beautiful.
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
We are called to go and make disciples. Whether it’s going to the neighbor, factory, supermarket or some third world country, we gotta go. People aren’t going to come to our living rooms and ask how to be saved. Well, they do in my case, because I’ve been here a long time and everyone knows I’m a Christian.
That’s good in one sense, because a lot of people do get led to the Lord by Winnie and me. (Well, Winnie is the most popular, humpf!) Bad, because someday, when they come knocking on our door, arresting Christians, they will have enough evidence and eye witnesses to convict and sentence us. Glory to God!
Our life’s goals are very simple, to help people, to lead them to Christ (not a church building, but to a REAL PERSONAL relationship with Him) to get saved, to finish well and to bring God all the glory. So. In conclusion. Don’t fight naked. Don’t fight barefoot. Put on your armor. Put on your shoes, and GO!
Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: