Month: September 2020

I’m not a shoe person, I’m a sneaker guy having had 38 pairs of high-top Converse sneakers. I’ve enjoyed having them in various colors and also the superhero collection. Having always been a runner and a jumper, and having weak ankles, shoes just don’t cut it. As a teacher, I had students from 3rd grade up to the 8th grade wearing their Converse sneakers to be part of the ‘in-group’ too!

But when it comes to robes and sandals, I have a hard time imagining heaven where everyone will be wearing them…since I’m neither a robes or sandal guy person. But I know God knows what He’s doing!

“Grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins,” goes a Native American Indian prayer I have on a plaque. While “Walk A Mile in My Shoes” was a hit song by Joe South back in the early 1970’s. The sayings go back decades and most of us are very familiar with them.  There’s plenty of truths behind those few words.  Many of our national leaders as well as local politicians oftentimes expect us to do things, or live in ways they never would. They need to be in our shoes to know what some things are like.  Walk in someone else’s shoes, and you probably won’t be judging them anymore. If you lose an arm, you’ll know what people who have lost one go through. Same with a leg, your back going out, etc.

At college in NYC, I had a professor in my ESL (English As A Second Language) class who once said, “Oh Yeah, racial jokes are funny…so funny—until they hit home.  Suddenly, they’re not funny anymore.  Guess what? If they’re not funny to you, then they’re not funny to those you say them to. Bottom line: Don’t use them.” That’s a perfect example of walking in someone else’s shoes. 

Hundreds of years earlier, Jesus shared the same truth in what is known as The Golden Rule which says: Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them. For this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12).  We’ve all seen kids walk around in adult shoes trying to be their mom or dad. Doing so, gives us a different perspective on life. 

Whether we drive a fancy car, have an unlimited amount of spending money for a few hours, or visit an extravagant home such as The Biltmore Estates with 250 rooms and a dining room with 68 hand-carved arm-chairs, and some 23,000 books, etc. allows us to see how others live and what life could be like.

No one knows about filling others’ shoes more than Jesus.  He ‘lived’ (actually existed) in unending splendor, had hosts of angelic beings at His disposal, had luxuries galore with trillions and trillions of riches, no sickness, no death, no sin, no beginning, no end as well as perfection and being omnipresent and omniscient.  Yet, in order to relate to us, He had to live in our world. So, scripture says He emptied Himself of the glory He had in heaven. Remember, Jesus and the Father, along with the Holy Spirit have always been ONE in essence and in existence.  He left it all behind to come live amongst us (Philippians 2:7). He…was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). When we complain of how hard life is, He knows. He was there.

It’s interesting that thousands of men & women want to visit Jerusalem to walk where He walked, when in fact, He decided eons ago to walk where we walked! One ‘day’ before the foundations of the world, He said, “I will walk where ____________(your name) walks;  I want to know what life is like for her.  I want to suffer as she suffers. I want to be hated as he is hated. I want to be falsely accused as he is. I want to lay down my life for humanity that they may know Me as the God of Love.” Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:16).

 Jesus shared one of the most touching stories in all of the Bible, the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). When the wayward son returned, the father told his servants to bring out the best robe, a ring, shoes on his feet, and kill the fatted calf so they could celebrate the return of his lost and dead (long-time missing) son. Not only does Jesus walk in our shoes but when we return to Him, he dresses us with new garments including shoes. The new garments speak of new experiences as well as a new righteousness. We’re now new people.  Why shoes? Because now our steps are directed by Him. We’re now on a new journey. We now walk in tune with him. We now know we need to walk where He walked and how He walked. We now know that His paths took Him on a road to suffering-the same road we’re now to follow. Big shoes to fill, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

End of summer is just around the corner.  Wonderful day for grilling burgers, hotdogs, steaks and fries followed by soda and intertwined with family activities.  A great day for relaxing.  Years ago, I was at my mechanic’s shop and asked him if he’d close for Labor Day. Expecting him to say yes, he instead asked me how Labor Day translated into Spanish. I told him, “Dia del trabajo,” (day of work) and he said, “There you go, it’s a day of work!” So, he worked and had his employees show up for work as usual.  I told him that wasn’t right, but that’s how he saw it.

All across the country and even worldwide, people work all the time. Millions though, are hard at work working towards their salvation. From rituals to good deeds, people sacrifice years and years of their lives trying to appease God and trying all they can think of to please Him.  They want to reserve a seat in Heaven.  They want to cancel their debts with Him. Some think that if they do more good deeds than the bad ones they committed; they’ll balance out. Sadly, they’re working hard in vain.  Nothing we do will earn God’s favor.  “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that is not of yourself: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). But the fact that we want to do something towards our salvation indicates we want to honor Him. That’s a commendable thing, though unnecessary.  Trillions of years ago, he decided to save us.  He decided that at the appointed time He’d lay down His life for us to draw us close to Him.

There’s no need to work for something’s that’s already ours; for something that’s already paid for. All we need do is claim it by setting our lives aright with God. Invite Him in to your life. Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead that we might not have to work or strive to save ourselves. Believe it. Not believing it makes the preaching of His message of salvation in vain as well as our faith vain (1 Corinthians 15:14).  Bottom line: cease from trying to please Him through your own works. You can’t buy His love. You can’t buy your way into Heaven. But WHY?  Hundreds of millions want to know why can’t they ‘chip in’ & help poor-old-God.  The answer is simple:  God will not share His glory with anyone.  He doesn’t want you or me bragging on how we helped Him out saving ourselves.  Ephesians 2:9 says, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” He doesn’t want us becoming someone else’s proxy for their salvation.  He doesn’t want any man being an in-between-man. There is only ONE mediator between man and God; the man Christ Jesus (1^st Timothy 2:5). He did it all and all is finished.

You can, however, pre-order a ticket of residence by accepting through faith His sacrificial death and resurrection for you.  You’ll have your name written in Heaven in God’s Book of Life.

So, this Labor Day have Him fellowship with you. Enjoy your burgers or whatever you eat. Begin a new way of enjoying the holiday by permanently ceasing from your fruitless labors towards eternal life. Place your faith in God. The book of Hebrews (10:12) tells us, “But this man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

God Bless!

Hot nights and hotter days were typical in the summer of 1973.  It was a summer of first love. It was a time when everything was seen through rose-colored glasses.  Everything felt so new and so good.  Love was in the air.  It was in all we did.  Summer heat and the potion of love had a hypnotizing effect on how I felt. New discoveries were on the horizon.  Being young meant so many things! We had friends galore.  We had time for hanging out with buddies and school was out. We’d ride our bikes, go to the pool, soak ourselves in the ‘Johnny-pumps’ (fire hydrants).  Have chips, cakes, ice cream, soda, etc. Life was heavenly!

It was also a summer of my going back to Coney Island with some friends. I hadn’t been there in about a decade.  I couldn’t believe that those $.05 and $.25 rides were now $.50 to over $1.50 each!  In the sweltering heat, one thing stood out that summer: from Coney Island to McCarren park, blasting through the speakers were songs like Party, Party by The JB’s with Maceo on the sax and I Can Understand It (The New Birth), as well as Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On. Music filled the air; it permeated everywhere. The songs, the music, the sounds of laughter from the guys on the block, combined with smells from fried chicken to jelly doughnuts (the thick kind made by the Acme Baking Co.), etc. all made that summer so special. When it was too hot to eat upstairs, I’d ask Mom for a dollar. I’d head to the diner on the corner where I could get 2 scrambled eggs with fries, toast, and a soda (for $.55). If hungry, I’d add a burger for $.45 more. Yummy times!

Along with the music came the beat.  The beat to move ‘ya around and around. The beats from the songs caused some to move to the “Bump.’ Others, danced to Salsa, while others just grooved doing their own thing.

Dancing has lots of benefits, though I don’t dance! But I think most of us ‘move’ in our own way. Some folks put on their favorite dancing shoes, while some dance in whatever ‘soles’ they have on. Some girls just love to dance barefooted-and then some, dance in huge, spikey heels! Dancing relieves stress. It can help clear our minds off issues that beset us. Anger, grief, or sadness can all be pushed aside while we move to music and dance whether within us, or playing outside.

People like my mom, who doesn’t dance either, can’t picture God dancing.  But He does! He’s known as The Lord of the Dance. Scripture shows that in worship we dance before Him. We celebrate His triumphs.  We celebrate His presence in our lives.  We honor Him and we celebrate His awesomeness. Scripture tells us in Zephaniah 3:17 (AMP) “The Lord your God is with you, The Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love (making no mention of your past sins), He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  The words ‘rejoice over you’ mean to dance, skip, spin around, or leap around in joy. 

Now, God may not dance to our songs, and we don’t know the types of shoes He wears, but we do know the types of ‘souls’ He seeks.  God seeks repentant souls. When we repent of our sins, not only does God dance over us, but the angels in heaven also rejoice (Luke 15:10).  All this rejoicing and dancing can only mean one thing: Heaven is a delightful place.  It’s a place where sorrow doesn’t fit in.  It’s where worry is kept out beyond the gates. God’s house is a joyful place.

Whatever your dancing shoes look like, bring them out!! Dance like King David danced with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14-22) before God!!!  Are your sins forgiven? Leap before Him!!!

You’re a new creation? Shout before Him!!! Has He made you glad? Rejoice in His presence!!! He no longer remembers your past sins and mistakes? Sing and dance before Him with excitement!!!  Seems like heaven will be a place for partying. It will take centuries just to quiet our excitement for making it there and then for eons we will praise, with excitement and joy, the One Who made it happen!

Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with strings and pipe (Psalm 150:4)!

God Bless!