Shoes – Gospel of Peace

¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 

Ephesians 6:13-15 (ESV)

When we think of armor, most of us think about the heavy pieces that cover our vital body parts, our heads and our internal organs. We’re usually not thinking about shoes as part of armor.

But oh friends, if you’ve spent any time at all on your feet, then you know that having the right pair of shoes is critical. I’m always up for an eye-catching pair of heels, but if I’m working with our church children, I wear flats or even tennis shoes. When I hunt, I wear tall, insulated boots. When I ride my studio cycle, I wear sneakers with thick soles to protect my feet from the grippy texture of the pedals.

Today let’s talk about a pair of shoes that are worth far more than fashion points or practicality and comfort. Let’s talk about the shoes of peace.

Ephesians 6:15 tells us that as shoes for our feet we should put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. And I know that we’re likely to jump straight to the word “peace” in that phrase, but I’d like us to linger for just a minute on “readiness”.

Readiness. What does it mean to be ready?

I’m the kind of person who gets up, showers, dresses, and does hair/make-up whether I’m leaving the house or not, so when I say, “I’m not ready to go yet” I mean that I need to put my shoes on and grab my coat if one is necessary.

You see, I may be ready to receive company without shoes on, but I’m not fully ready for going in public until I have my shoes on.

If we think back to the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness, we realize that these are pieces are defensive in nature. God’s truth defends us against the lies of the devil and His righteousness covers us against the devil’s accusations.

The shoes of peace though are both defensive and offensive. They protect our feet from the attacks of the enemy, ensuring we have a firm stance, but they also ensure we are “ready” to go – to press forward sharing the gospel of peace – to take the battle to the enemy by sharing the gospel with others and leading more people to Christ.

In 1st Peter 3:15 we are instructed to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” and to do this with “gentleness and respect”. In short, we are to be “ready” to share the hope that is in us, Jesus, who is the author of the gospel of peace.

Tomorrow, let’s take a deeper look at the gospel of peace. For today, let’s reflect on what it means to be ready to share the hope that we have. When is the last time you shared your hope in Jesus with someone?

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