I was just thinking about ...
There is one good thing
about being in a large family. (or at least being married to one!) Every once in
a while, I get to witness one of the rituals of growing up: trying on Dad’s or
Grampa’s shoes. Of course, the funniest part is watching the little legs
trying to walk in shoes that are half as long as the child is tall. They
concentrate carefully with each step. The wavering foot lifts up and, while
carefully balancing that slippery shoe on their foot, they gingerly move it
forward. The heel of the shoe is swings back and forth like a bell tolling above
a cathedral. Perhaps they get a step or two and then, it slides off their foot
or they lose their balance and tumble to the ground.
The
best part is to watch the determination grow as they push themselves up again,
secure their feet in the pontoon shoes and try, try again. Eventually, they give
up, realizing those shoes are better filled by their owner. And their feet,
well, they’re better off in their own shoes; smaller but better fitted for
their use. Once they get their own shoes on, they stand up and you can almost
read their faces as they think, “Yeah, this is more like it!” and with that,
they’re off to wherever their little legs will take them.
I
was reminded of this at our weekly bible study. We were studying the
resurrection story from the Gospel according to John. As we read past the part
where Jesus appears to the disciples in the locked room, someone points out
that, according to John, they received the Holy Spirit here, as opposed to the
Acts account of the Pentecost. I glanced at my watch and thought, “Oh boy,
we’re already running late, how do I deal with this?” But their interest
wasn’t in the timing conflict but in the ramifications of “Whatever you bind
in this world will be bound in Heaven and whatever you forgive in this world
will be forgiven in Heaven.
“Wow,
that’s a lot of responsibility; I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that. Is
that for all Christians or just the apostles?” I looked around the table and
saw most of the heads nodding in quiet agreement with him. I also agreed. It’s
very uncomfortable for any Christian to think of them self being in a position
to make Godly decisions. All of a sudden, I pictured a huge shoe dangling on the
end of my foot. I had to quiet the chuckle this image provided me. I then
mentioned the timing of this new ability/responsibility. It was after receiving
the Holy Spirit from Christ Jesus. Perhaps having the Holy Spirit within us
allows us to see things more from God’s perspective. And especially shows us
how unable we are on our own to make decisions that affect all eternity. I think
I’ll stick to my own shoes and let God wear his. Yeah, that’s more like it!
Gotta go, my old shoes want to take me somewhere. But,
Drop
on by anytime, I'll be here and so will God,
Dennis