I recall shopping for shoes with my father when I was a young girl. In those days you actually sat down in a chair and an attendant came and carefully measured your foot, went back to the storeroom, and came back with a shoe that fit perfectly. The attendant would then kneel in front of you, remove your old shoe, and place this new perfectly fitting shoe on your foot. In my case, my father slipped this shoe on my foot, and I felt like a princess!
Not long ago, I attended a quinceañera, a grand celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday often observed by young ladies throughout Latin America. The girl wore a beautiful gown for the occasion. Surely, she looked like a princess at a ball! During part of the ceremony, she sat in a throne-like chair in the middle of the ballroom and her father came and knelt before her. He spoke of his love for her and his pride in her as she became a young woman. He lifted her glistening ballgown to reveal to all of us in attendance that underneath her ballgown she wore an old pair of white sneakers. He carefully presented a shoe box and opened it revealing a sparkling pair of high heeled shoes which he placed on her feet symbolizing that she was stepping out of her childhood shoes. It was her first pair of heels! There wasn’t a dry eye at the ball!
Recently I’ve been praying about stepping into the role God has for me. I want to follow in my father’s footsteps as a missionary and follow the footsteps of my mother as the queen of hospitality, but I must put on my own big girl shoes and step into my role! God calls all of us to take off our childhood play shoes and step into maturity!
After the girl’s father placed her new shoes on her feet, her court of friends joined her, and a young man twirled her around the dance floor. I want my heavenly Father to twirl me and lead me in the dance! I want to step into the arms of Jesus. I want Him to take the lead and direct my steps in my new shoes.
Undoubtedly, I will be a little wobbly at first in these new heels and my ankle may give way now and then. But in His arms, I will be safe! I want to glide where He wants me to go and accomplish new things for His glory! I want to grow into the fullness of what He has planned for me! I’ve worn the baby shoes and the sneakers… the flip flops and the flats. I’m ready to put on my high heeled shoes as a sign that I’m maturing in Christ and ready to start a new era. Let’s all step into His arms and let Him lead as we follow Him in this dance called life!
Father, help us step into the roles that You have called us to. Help us to lean on You. Direct our paths and lead us into maturity as we soak up all knowledge from Your Word! Amen!
Resources and References:
Colossians 1:9-10
“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
Ephesians 4:13
“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
We Dance by Steffany Gretzinger
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