One thing I really enjoy brand new, fresh out of the box, is a crisp and clean pair of shoes. There is something magical about the smell of the untouched rubber and untarnished fabric. They have a mesmerizing allure that evokes great elation, produces new pride, and conjures greater confidence.
When I was a kid, cool points were really only a side show to the main attraction of what those fresh kicks held in the special powers department. The instant speed increase was nothing short of a guaranteed miracle.
I’m curious, how soon did that feeling ‘wear’ off for you? Was it when they got their first scuff, or some idiot stepped on them, or a kid reminded you that nothing is sacred in their world when they added their own decoration in spilling paint on them during a Christmas project for their Bebe? Does it simply happen over time and one day when you go to put them on, they just don’t look, feel, or seem new anymore? Or, are they fine until you see a new pair that catches your eye and yours become no longer desirable compared to the ones you saw?
Regardless of the reason, every NEW pair of shoes is bound for the same place, the trash.
I recently read something very disturbing in an exceptional book about hospitality and service. The author wrote this regarding relationships, “People grow a part. You realize that you and your partner no longer share the same interests, the same priorities. You’re no longer looking at the world the same way. Nothing can rob you of what you’ve shared, but when it’s over, it’s over.”
While the truth of shoes is the eventual reality of every pair, this throw away attitude tends to be how the world operates and views relationships, even marriages.
I’m sure you have seen, done, and maybe experienced tragedy.
The world dumps are filled with discarded shoes and seem to be adding daily to their piles, discarded relationships as well. The problem with relationships, romantic or platonic, casual or intimate, is they are comprised of broken people.
If you look for fulfillment and completeness IN another person, you’re living in an illusion like that of new shoes that will NEVER get scuffed, dirty, worn out, or old.
Relationships are living beings, not shoes from a box.
You and I were created for community and some of the best ways to experience wholeness of life and see the character of God are in relationships. Because grace, forgiveness, kindness, and selflessness are uncommon practices in our world we catch glimpses of eternity when these are enacted between two individuals. Phil 2:1-11 gives a beautiful prescription for next level living and 1 Corinthians 13 gives a fantastic depiction of how to navigate relationships. Give them a read and see where your might need adjusting.
What “pair of shoes” have you been thinking about throwing away and God is calling you to stop looking for a new pair and start treating it like the shoes are alive? Would you let God help you restore wholeness in that relationship for YOUR sake?
#FreshKicksInRelationships
#RelationshipRevival
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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