Comfort. A state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint. It's interesting, especially in the American culture, how we don't even realize all the many things we find comfort in. Comfort frees us from pain; it sets our mind elsewhere.
Oh Texas A&M. After one year complete in College Station, with freshman year behind me I sit at home in love with the school. It's a public school full of men and women of faith, full of men and women who are leaders in Christ. I was challenged during the month of April by some of these leaders in an organization called Soles for the Savior whose primary goal is to take the gospel to the lost and secondary goal to take shoes to the shoeless. The challenge was to go all of April--30 days--without shoes. What a challenge let me tell you.
I didn't realize what comfort I took in something as simple as a pair of shoes, but shoes are the definition of comfort. They're witholding us from a world of pain. The first week was the toughest. My pedicured, clean, soft feet were not prepared for a month without protection. A&M campus is huge, and you walk just about everywhere. I remember at the end of Day 2 thinking to myself how in the world I was going to make it another 28 days. The amount of time in front of me seemed endless.
The A&M campus consists of 3 main surfaces: cement, grass, and cobblestone. The cobblestone ripped my feet apart that first week. I limited going places that first week because I was in such pain by the end of the day. Particularly the first and second week I was so intrigued by my thoughts. I had to be so conscious every step I took. I had to avoid pebbles, rocks, rough patches in the ground. I had to consciously place every step, and my 20 minute walks to the Business school usually full of my mind wandering was fully focused on the simple act of walking, of placing my feet in front of each other. One carelessly placed step often resulted in a jab of pain. Though the pain was in my face apparent, it was incredible. It was a constant reminder of those living their lives this way, it was a constant reminder to pray for the less fortunate who we rarely find directly in our path.
It's interesting, because this month, as I expected challenged me physically, but it also unexpectedly challenged me socially. In two ways. Going barefoot is abnormal, on campus yes, but even more so at the movies on Friday night, at church on Sunday morning, at Michaels when you're picking up supplies. Wearing shoes is not only a blessing in America, it's expected, it's out of the ordinary if you don't. Lucky us. I battled my mind the first 2 days in particular. I battled my embarrassment, and the urge to tell the people staring that I was doing it as a fast-- which is NOT the point of a fast. I distinctly remember at church the first Sunday of April, a woman--not discretely at all--looking down at my feet, looking back up at my face, and staring at me. It was a humbling month that's for sure. Easter Sunday was one of those moments in particular when everyone looks their absolute best, especially being back in my hometown where no one had even heard of the challenge. Gotta love being humbled.
The second way it challenged me socially and the coolest part of the whole thing: the testimony of it. I had so many people, just casually riding down the elevator or walking back from the parking garage comment about me being barefoot. Them starting a conversation about it was a lead in straight to a conversation about the gospel. How cool is that? I got to have some real, gospel-centered conversations. With strangers. Made me wonder why I'm not living my life so transparent and out there that these conversations aren't a consistent part of my every day life.
The best part of it being over: feeling clean again. Even after a shower or washing my feet off, take 10 steps and your feet are picking up soot again. I didn't feel clean once all of April, and I even had a shower with soap to come home to every night. That's not a luxury people living life this way have to take advantage of.
Moral of the story: people need the gospel, people need shoes, people need a mind set free from this burden. This month convicted me so strongly of what I sit comfortable in and what others suffer daily from. If you have any desire whatsoever, or feel called to, there's a link here to donate to Soles for the Savior. Money goes directly to either purchasing new shoes, or shipping shoes already bought where they need to be. Next mission heads out to Haiti. Think about what you sit comfortable in.
Sorry for the long length, but man, it was a long month full of experience and learning.
Here's my song for today: it's called Brokenness Aside by my newly discovered, currently favorite worship band All Sons and Daughters. They've got some beautiful harmonies, and passionate singers! Hope you're having a blessed week, thanks for reading!
