Part three: Grounded in Peace
When I picture a “foothold,” I picture a mostly closed door with a foot holding it open. I’m clearly not a rock climbing, adventure seeking sort of lady. This is probably old news for all of you cool kids, but a foothold is used to describe being firm, steady, and supported in your stance. In rock climbing, this means you’ve found a trusted nook and cranny to lodge your foot in order to remain safe as you shift your weight. For those of us land lover’s, we could use the term to describe a confident position in our work, community, ministry, etc.
P A U S E
Ephesians tells us to have our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. Ummm…what? I’m still wrapping my brain around that, but I love the idea of our feet being firmly grounded in peace. I found some interesting parallels while reading about Roman footwear (Roman Foot Locker? Roman’s Sporting Goods? Still working out the name of my franchise…). Many of the Romans wore Caligae, which were ox or cowhide sandals that had hobnails hammered into the bottom. They kept soldiers’ feet cool and sounded intimidating as they marched into battle. I’m guessing weaknesses included having parts of the foot exposed and traveling on all surfaces in what essentially looked like cleats. I love the image of peace being strong, courageous, and powerful. This is paired with the softer elements such as grace and patience.
Let’s take the picture of those sandals and the idea of our feet being grounded in peace. I immediately felt convicted by my thoughts and words. They can be so divisive when I feel defensive, concerned, or disappointed. I would not describe my attitude or behavior as peaceful in those moments. Knowing that the Bible does not have wasted words (we have lineages listed, but not shoe sizes), I searched for verses about feet. I wouldn’t have thought to do this if a friend hadn’t shared her word searches in the past! I found two key themes:
1. God leads and protects us when we follow Jesus.
2. We show humility and repentance when we come to the feet of Jesus.
P R A Y
Peace requires humility. Consider Ephesians 4:26, 27 where it says “In your anger do not sin: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” You may substitute anger for sadness. Disappointment. Defensiveness. Judgment. When our emotions boil over and we are no longer grounded in peace, it’s important that we take a moment and not lash out from that shaky position.
My picture of the enemy's foot in the door, barely holding it open and likely to have it smashed in my rage-filled slamming needed to be adjusted. A foothold means steady placement with slow and deliberate movement. The door slamming image sort of implied that I was running away from or actively defending against something. The actual meaning is slightly more powerful.
P R O C L A I M
Following Christ means that you believe in God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus. You believe Jesus is the son of God, that he died and rose again while on this earth. If you believe that, then the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:10, 11) moves in and through you. We can be confident and not fearful when James 4:7 says to “humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” FLEE. BE GONE. When we stand our ground, he backs down.
Who did wear it best, then?
“My foolish, rebellious husband will get us all killed!” Her servant knew this was true. Abigail gathered supplies quickly and loaded the donkeys. “He must not know we are doing this.” Nabal was a mean-spirited man. They traveled into a mountain ravine where men’s voices could be heard bouncing off the walls. David and his men rounded the corner as Abigail approached and bowed at his feet. She asked for his forgiveness for what Nabal had done and offered many gifts to him and his men. She acknowledged God’s provision over David. Rather than attack, David was so moved by her bravery that he withdrew his men and commended her for coming to him. Abigail took steps toward peace to protect her people. I wish we knew more about Abigail from the Bible, but sometimes a person’s story is wrapped up in one courageous act. Take a look at the course you are on. Are your feet headed for trouble or planted firmly in the good things set before you?