A Pair of Shoes

From: Messages of God's Love: 1924

IF any of you young readers, or older ones, have lost a little brother or sister, it is very likely, with feelings of love and tenderness, that you look upon the little garments and playthings the loved one left behind. These reminders are often very precious to us, and sometimes we keep them a long time.

Some time ago, a devoted daughter was thinking about her father who had gone to be with the Lord, and a longing came over her to look at some of his clothes.

She took up a pair of shoes, and noticed that the soles were worn very thin. Then she remembered how often he had walked four miles to meeting.

How many of you would be willing to walk that far to meeting? He went on hot days, and he went on cold days. He did not let either muddy roads or stormy weather hinder him, for he loved the Lord and wanted to go to the meetings whenever he could.

As the daughter looked at the much-worn shoes, and remembered how faithfully her father had followed the Lord, and walked in the way of righteousness, the shoes seemed to be preaching her a sermon. They seemed to tell her to follow in his footsteps—to follow the Lord just as he had done.

It is much better, dear children, to wear out our shoes and our clothes living and working for Jesus, than to be going on carelessly and selfishly.

If we know Jesus as our Saviour, and do not live for him as faithfully as we should, we will lose much blessing, both in this life, and throughout eternity.

And if we do not know Jesus as our Saviour, we are wearing out our shoes on a path that leads to an eternity of woe.

As the person in this story looked at her father’s shoes, and turned them over again and again, she made up her mind that, with the Lord’s help, she too, would follow her Saviour, and use her strength for Him. And she hopes that her walk will be a help to others, just as her father’s faithful walk was a help to her.

Dear children, if you, too, wish to live for the Lord, and walk in a way that will be pleasing to Him, seek the companionship of those who love the Lord Jesus, and are trying to please Him. This will be a help.

God’s Word says,

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14, 15¹⁴Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. ¹⁵Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (Proverbs 4:14‑15).

If you associate with those who do wicked things, they will want you to do the same things, so God tells you to keep away from them.

If you study God’s Word, you will find a great many verses that speak of the walk and what it should be.

One verse tells us to “walk in love.” Eph. 5:2²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2).

Another tells us to “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.” Col. 1:10¹⁰That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10).

See how many others you can find, telling how the Christian ought to walk.

The Lord wants His children to follow in His footsteps—to walk even as He walked when here. You will learn how to do this if you study God’s Word.

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.” Eph. 5:1, 2¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:1‑2).

ML 11/23/1924

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