Christian Living

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The Perfect Match


My mother had problem feet, and unfortunately for me, I have inherited her
problem. How I dread the process of shopping for new shoes! It exhausts
both mind and body, as it requires my going to nearly every shoe store
in town, and out-of-town.

Sometimes I must settle for shoes that are kind to my arches, but pinch my
toes; too high or too low, too small or too loose. After trying on at least
a dozen pair, I finally settle for less than perfect shoes.

There have been times when the shoes came close to being a match for my
problem feet, but the price and my budget couldn’t agree. For years, I
bought dime store shoes; cheap enough for my budget, but alas, they never
fit properly.

Once, my observant husband admonished me, “Barb, if you would stop
buying cheap shoes, and save your money, you could have one good
pair of shoes that would last, and help your feet at the same time.”

With age comes wisdom. Two years ago I got a job in which I would be
standing on my feet for long hours. Dime store shoes would not do!
I needed a pair of good, sturdy work shoes. After my usual frustrating search,
I became a desperate woman and headed for the most expensive shoe store
in town…a girl can dream, can’t she?

Two hours and several pairs of shoes later, I found them! The perfect pair
of shoes for my aching, problem feet. The most comfortable shoes into
which a woman could slip her feet! They were perfect in every way. Perfect
size, perfect color, perfect style….perfect, perfect, perfect! But, yikes!!
Too expensive!

What was a woman to do? Decision time had arrived. As I stood there in
The shoe store, staring at my aching feet, contemplating my options, the
words of my wise husband began to echo in my mind: “Barb, you could’ve
had one good pair of shoes.” I swallowed hard, crashed my budget, and
bought those shoes!

I never knew a pair of shoes could wear this well. I didn’t know walking
could be this comfortable and care-free! I didn’t know the perfect pair of
shoes could make such a difference at the end of a long, hard, work-day.

It took a number of years, countless pairs of dime store shoes, and words of
wise counsel from my husband, but I’ve finally found a perfect match for
my feet. How great they feel! It’s like walking on air! Two years
of faithful, dependable service, and we are still inseparable, with many
miles to go.

Spiritually speaking, in the kingdom of God there are many shoes waiting to
be tried on and filled. There are all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. There
are low ones and high ones, stacked ones and flat ones, tight ones and loose
ones...all waiting to be tried on . God has pre-ordained the perfect match for
each individual. How will we know which ones to wear? Where is the perfect
fit?

This is not a new question. It has been asked by many. Another way to
ask it is, ‘What is my role in the kingdom of God? Where is the perfect
ministry match, for me?”

The answer is not as complicated as one might think. Like my true ‘shoe
Illustration’, we do not give up, and we do not ignore wise counsel!
Spiritually speaking, we keep trying on the shoes until we find the perfect
Fit…the perfect match made in heaven, in which to serve the Son.

When we buy a pair of shoes at the shoe store we take them home, and then
sometimes we find they won’t do, at all. We don’t beat up on ourselves and
wilt in despair. We take them back to the store and exchange them for
another, better-fitting pair.

In God’s kingdom it is the same! We keep experimenting in different
Areas of ministry until one day…and sometimes on the most unexpected
day, we try on a pair, and ahhhhh!!!! It’s like walking on a cloud! We
find our sole mate! We discover it is easier to walk in the Spirit than we
dreamed possible….as we go about fulfilling the desire of the Father, in
our new shoes.

We become content; no more struggling, no more running around trying to
Fit in somewhere, anywhere to feel complete.

Are you struggling? Are you continually trying on different “shoes’ in
the kingdom of God? Are you still searching for the perfect match? If this
is you, may I leave you with one last, (and I pray) thought of wisdom?

DO NOT DESPAIR! Those who find the PERFECT MATCH, are the ones
Who are willing to try on the shoes!

Happy shoe shopping!

© Barbara Thompson-Young

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