Walk A Mile in My Shoes

"But the father said to the servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.'" (Luke 15:22)

One of the principles of Highly Effective People according to Steven Covey is "to seek first to understand, then to be understood." The story of the prodigal son depicts a son who lacked nothing yet who wanted his inheritance early. It is easy to dismiss this story as simply the foolishness of a young man. However, have you ever considered walking a mile in the shoes of the prodigal son? The shoes of a young man who traveled far away to spend lavishly on the pleasures of life. What was he lacking that he had to seek from afar? What was he missing in regards to nurturing or a guiding hand to lead him that caused him to go astray?

Perhaps he had all the material possessions he needed at home, but did not have the ear of his father? Was his voice appreciated? What he found in the hog pen of life was that the support he could receive as a servant in his father's house was better than no support at all. That's right, he came to his senses. What he received upon return, moreover, was more than he expected. He received the best robe, a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet.

Have you considered walking a mile in the shoes of your brothers or sisters, your neighbors? Even a mile in the shoes of a child can tell a story - a horrific or fascinating one. Feasibly we cannot walk a mile in everyone's shoes. We cannot experience their life stories, hardships or triumphs. But, we can offer them our support. We can lend our ears to listen, our arms to comfort or simply a pair of new shoes to support the soles of their feet. We can be part of the village that helps raise children and support the feet of those who continue to walk and never give up; feet with a journey to resume.

The phrase "walk a mile in my sho2es" is an idiom that means to consider the circumstances of someone else's life before criticizing them. It means to offer empathy and compassion rather than judgment. It means looking through the lens of someone else's experiences. As Christians, if we consider that we "are our brother's keeper" it is a phrase that must be emulated.

Shoes are the staples for the feet; they are a necessity. Shoes protect the feet from injury and provide support for walking properly. Not having the right shoes can be detrimental to your health and balance. With growing children and rising costs, however, many families are struggling to provide adequate shoes for their children. Besides school supplies, new shoes are probably one of the biggest back to school expenses that parents face. How can you help support them with this cost?

We know that around the world many children go daily without shoes. They walk miles and miles and play within their barrios, villages, and communities lacking adequate footwear. I've personally witnessed children fighting over flip-flops in the Dominican Republic just to have some shoes. I've seen the bruised and tattered feet of children who go without shoes; soles bleeding without support. Likewise, on the local school basketball court, I've seen a young boy burst into tears because the entire bottom portion of his tennis shoes came off while playing. And, I've seen others bullied because they lacked the necessary shoes to walk in.

There are many others to consider as we think about walking a mile in their shoes. Walk a mile in the shoes of the homeless and consider what got them there. Put on heels and walk a mile in the life of an abused wife and mother. Walk a mile in the shoes of an addict. Go to the grocery store and walk a mile in the life of someone struggling financially. Walk a mile in the life of the rejected, the ostracized, the immigrant, the disabled or the elderly. Walk a mile in the shoes of a veteran, a widow or widower. Even consider walking a mile in the shoes of someone with great influence as they have fallen from popularity in the eyes of the public. Certainly, we can all walk a mile in the shoes of "the lost" because we were all once there until we discovered the loving and saving arms of Jesus. (Romans 3:23)

Jesus was no novice in regards to walking. He walked a lot; it was the general mode of traveling in his day. And, His disciples walked with him. Likewise, we are called to walk a mile in the shoes of Jesus. Yes, his simple sandals whose laces we are not worthy to untie. (Luke 3:16). His are the shoes we are to consider as we navigate this journey called life. Wouldn't you like to have a life of such fellowship with God like Enoch? "Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24). The Apostle Paul exhorts us to walk in a certain way. In Ephesians 4:1, he says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received." Jesus was full of compassion and identified with those walking in a variety of shoes. Wouldn't it behoove us to do the same?

In a world full of self-centeredness, self-absorption, and selfishness it is hard to consider the needs of others. Even those who appear to have it altogether secretly need something that is often unexpressed and unverbalized. The Message Bible sums it up well in Philippians 2:1-4, "If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor. Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front, don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."

That is the life of a disciple.