“ [we will] bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair.”
ISAIAH 61:3
I’ve had the same tennis shoes for about three years. For whatever reason, tennis shoes are a tough buy for me because once I pay for them, it is a commitment. The only time I had to look was one day when I was out with the boys in Louisville at Off Broadway Shoes. I finally decided on a pair of New Balances. A few days later, I wore these shoes to work and all day long my feet were hurting. That evening when I took my shoes off, I realized I had bought a 7.5 instead of the normal 8 shoe I wear. That weekend, I convinced Josh and the boys to go to Costco with me and exchange my shoes. I sat my items down and explained that I needed to exchange the New Balances or the Adidas shoes.
Clerk: Looking disgustingly at the New Balances, “Have you worn these?”
Me: “yes, I did wear them at work inside”
Clerk: Lots of huffing and will not make eye contact with me. She goes to get some kind of wipe and attempts to clean the shoes, even though they were not dirty. Continues scrubbing the bottoms and using her radio “This woman wants to return these and buy a different pair and they have been worn.”
Everyone is watching, I am feeling very uncomfortable and there is a huge line of people waiting, naturally.
Me: “Ma’m is there a problem? Am I not allowed to exchange them?”
Store Manager: Comes up and examines the shoes and then looks at the clerk, “it doesn’t matter what they look like, we still make the exchange.”
I walked away from that store with a new pair of shoes that fit, and a whole new appreciation for how our heavenly father gives us hassle free exchanges. I’m glad he does not leave me waiting in line, in front of other Christians, and examines my life for wear. This experience also convicted my heart when I judged people by their shoes and forced them to stand in an uncomfortable line while I gave them a quick once over. Or worse, how the church has and is doing that? Isn’t it good news that we can come to him tattered, dirty, cut, bruised, banged up, damaged, and the like- and he runs to meet us? He never questions if I am Christian enough. He traded my low self-esteem for a relationship as a beautiful daughter. Jesus does not scold me over the mud I track in, or the dirty smudges that I have from flirting with the world. He allows me to trade chaos for peace, and fear for faith.
What has God allowed you to trade?
What do you need to lay down to fully embrace a garment of praise?
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