You walk into the shoe department and there you see it!
Everything disappears except for you and “that shoe”. It’s calling out to you.
“Take me home! You
need me!”
You pick it up and it’s like you are Cinderella. This is
your glass slipper! It fits perfectly! You must take it home. You know it’s not
what you are there for, but it’s destiny.
You get “that shoe” home and put it in just the right spot
of the closet. You walk in each day and admire how beautiful it is. You think
about that special moment in the store when it called to you and fit just
right. But you don’t dare put it on. You want to, but you are afraid.
You fear you may mess it up if you wear it. After all, it’s
been raining lately. Maybe you fear you can’t really pull off “that shoe” with
the limited outfit choices you have. Or, maybe you simply don’t have the right
occasion to wear them. It could even just be out of season right now.
You admire it sitting in your closet and vow to wear it when
everything lines up just right. However, that day doesn’t come. Then one day
you walk in and see “that shoe” and realize it’s too late. It doesn’t fit, it
is out of style, or you can no longer wear that style anymore.
You could have been wearing “that shoe” that made you feel
like a princess, but instead you let it waste away in your closet. All
because you were scared of what would happen if you did.
We all have “that shoe” in our spiritual lives, too. It is
your gift or your calling that God has given you. It was made specifically for
you and only you. Just like Cinderella and her slipper, it will only fit you.
All too often we let it sit on the pedestal in our closet
admiring it and wanting to put it on, but we are afraid. We are fearful that we
are not worthy of it, we’ll mess it up, or maybe others will not like it or
would do a better job. All the while it is sitting, being wasted, until it’s
too late.
This is crazy! God doesn’t make mistakes and He gave you
this gift, this calling.
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to
each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance to your
faith; if it is serving, then serve, if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to
encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if
it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
Romans 12:6-8
These are a few examples of our possible gifts, and our
callings are how we use these gifts. God may be calling you to serve in the
nursery or He may be calling you to serve at your local homeless shelter. He
may be asking you to start a Bible study or to move to a foreign country to
teach and share His love. Maybe you should be encouraging a neighbor or maybe
He wants you to write encouragements to local, state, or national leaders. The possibilities
are endless.
I get that it could be out of your comfort zone. I know it
is probably scary for you, even if it seems minor to others. It’s scary because
it is not something we can do on our own. We don’t like to feel incapable of
something. However, If God has called you, there is no need for fear. His power
is made perfect in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9) He will enable you to
carry it out to completion.
Let’s all commit to start actually wearing our spiritual
“that shoe”. Let’s quit just looking at it sitting there waiting for the
conditions to be just right. Imagine the difference we can all make if we will
all put them on! It may not be easy at first. We may have to wear them a little
at a time to break them in. But we can and should put them on.
I’m working on the challenge of wearing “that shoe” myself.
Next week I will share with you what it is for me and why I am terrified. I’m
so thankful for the Lord’s patience with me it.
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