Get Your Boots On

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.   Ephesians 6:15

One of the enemy’s goals is very simple—to use our natural love of comfort to keep us from doing anything that might cause significant damage to his kingdom.

The only way to stand against this scheme is to put on the shoes of the gospel. Shoes are meant for movement, and Paul links that movement with the gospel. Putting on shoes means that I have to become intentional about asking, How can I best contribute to the advance of the gospel in this world?

If that question seems remote to you, it may be a sign that the enemy has already had considerable success with this strategy in your life. He is happy to see the whole church wearing slippers. Slippers are comfortable footwear for those who are planning to stay inside and who have no intention of going out. But God calls us to take off our warm slippers and put on work boots, because our calling is not to sing songs by the fireside but to take the gospel to every nation and people.

The advance of the gospel is always in tension with our comfort. We’ll always be faced with choices between what’s most comfortable for us and what’s most useful to Christ. Every Christian and every church will move in one direction or the other. Do you see signs of the enemy using this strategy in your life? Have you ever felt that your own personal comfort was becoming more important than God’s call?

The gospel advances as Christians move from a mind-set that says, “The church exists for me, and what matters is how I like it,” to a mind-set that says, “The church exists for Christ, and what matters is how his work can best be accomplished.” That means being ready to adapt, respond, and initiate in new ways.

Now here’s the question: Are you walking with Christ in such a way that you can discern what he wants you to do? When was the last time you discerned the voice of God calling you to some new venture for him? Are you living with the expectancy that God will lead you forward?

For further reading, see Acts 16