“Someone Else’s Shoes”
Scott McCown

“Clip . . . slish . . . clop . . . clip . . . slish . . . clop.” What a fun sound! Every parent experience that sound or one like it as their child tries on Mom’s or Dad’s shoes and comes walking through the hall. Maybe you still remember trying on your parent’s shoes. Why do we? Are we measuring our size? Are we seeing how much we need to grow? Are we trying to be like those grown-ups in our life? Are we just being silly? No matter the real reason there is still an applicable outcome.

We have clichés in American English that reference shoes, such as: “He’s got some big shoes to fill.” This cliché may be confusing to those to whom English is a second language; they may look down at the person’s feet. What we mean is that the person we are speaking of is following someone who did an outstanding job or was well-respected. The neophyte now has the added burden of walking in the shadows of the accomplishments of his predecessor – thus he has “big shoes to fill.”

A contemporary example literally “walked on” the Alabama football team as a freshman. His name is Leigh Tiffin a back-up kicker and last week’s SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. As a kicker at Alabama he lives in the shadow of Van Tiffin (his father) who remains immortalized by Daniel Moore and Bama fans in a 52 yard field goal that gave the Tide a 25-23 win over Auburn in 1985. Leigh Tiffin has big shoes to fill in Bama tradition and so far this season he seems to be doing just that.

Spiritually, we have some big shoes to fill. Paul urges us to be “imitators of him,” and “imitators of him as he is of Christ” (1 Cor 4:16; 11:1 ESV). Paul left big shoes to fill. He was evangelistic – preaching Christ to all that would hear and some that did not want to hear. He was willing to suffer for Christ. He gave up many things of this world (counting them as rubbish – Phil 3:8) to focus his life of Christ. He chose a godly course and challenges us to walk the same – 2 Tim 4:6-8. Are you trying on Paul’s shoes?

Did you notice that Paul borrowed those shoes from someone else? Look again to 1 Cor 11:1, “. . . be imitators of me as I am of CHRIST.” There we find the ultimate shoes. The life and example Christ leaves for us. John challenges us this way, “. . . walk in the light, as He is in the light . . .” (1 Jn 1:7). Walk where Jesus walked – not literally in the region of Palestine, but spiritually in obedient submission to God. This is our obligation. We are to submit to God, even when such submission may limit our material success. We are to submit to God, even when those near to us challenge our course. Are you trying on Jesus’ shoes?

Micah records, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8)

Put on your shoes and let’s start walking!

We are still in need of canned foods and personal hygiene products for the pantry. Please place items on the rear table in the annex.

The date of this writing is 11 September 2006. The years have passed so quickly since 9/11/01. The past is gone and the future has not yet come. Right now we only have the present. God has given us another day. What has been given us should be used to the glory of God, and peace should be our hope and prayer. "May God's blessings be upon us, In Jesus Name -Amen."