Daniel's Shoes

     I stepped out of the van. I helped my 4 year old son and his precious cargo, a backpack brimming with  Legos, down the stairs.  We proceeded to the rental car counter. The clerk looked at me. " You look like you belong in a luxury BMW,"  he smiled.  I stood comfortably in my hiking boots and laughed, "No thanks, just give me the economy sedan that I reserved".

     The world will try to tell you who you are, good and bad, based on exteriors, economics and even fads. The story is not a new one.  In the Old Testament, The Book of Daniel tells the story of four young men who were plopped down in the middle of decadent Babylon. Their names are changed, rich foods are offered and a cultural re-education begins. Their situation is really no different than that of believers today. Like Daniel, we can maintain our stability if we do one thing:  Take off our shoes and stand on our own two feet.

     When I was a young woman working in Washington DC, I wore the same pair of black flats to my daytime office job and my nighttime waitress gig. The right sole had a hole. I took them to a cobbler on my lunch hour. He made them as good as new, polished them to an incredible luster and would not take my money.  I was touched and embarrassed by his kindness. In hindsight, I know he was respecting the fact that I was obviously always on my feet and working. He saw me when I took off my shoes.

     The English language is rife with shoe axioms:  Walk a mile in his shoes; If the shoe fits, wear it; Shoes make the man. There are flip flops that cost a few dollars and high heels  that cost thousands.  There are beautiful shoes that are truly works of art and shoes that keep our feet warm and dry.  I like shoes and I need them, but they need to be put in their place.  When we take off our shoes, we see our feet, those amazing, complex parts that give us balance and carry us through our lives. 

     Feet are similar to our private selves while shoes are like our public faces. We can wear elegant shoes and have crazy,bunion- topped feet  or even beautiful, smooth princess feet. We can act gracious in public, yet have a mean streak a mile wide or a wide open heart.  Oftentimes, others are unaware of our true heart, but God knows every dark crevice. Psalm 40 says," He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." This metaphor highlights God's faithfulness.  Even with our faults, we have an identity:   We are sons and daughters of God.  We can live well in Babylon if we stand on faith. We know that this world is not our permanent home.

     Although modern society offers many good and beautiful things, sometimes it prefers appearance over substance.  Believers must make their own choices. There are infinite, creative ways to remember and reflect our true identities. I can turn off the cruelty of reality television. I can buy a homeless person a meal instead of walking by them. Instead of hoarding my good fortune, I can act from a place of gratitude and share what I have been given.  I CAN walk in Daniel's shoes.