We were going to do a short hike up to Linville Falls.After we parked and began walking to the trail my friend asked, “You are really going to wear flip flops? Didn’t you bring tennis shoes?”
Yes, I had tennis shoes. But I feel like they hold my feet hostage, not to mention they were NOT fashionable and did not match my outfit.
I explained my vanity to my friend and exclaimed that I would be fine. So away we went.
My vanity is also accompanied by my pride (neither of which are great things, by the way).
So as the trail became a little difficult to navigate with flip flops I said nothing. I just became more determined to walk without stumbling. in the end, it was “fine” but certainly not the smartest decision I’d made in awhile.
The Apostle Paul says, “Be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly.”
The Greek word for live actually means to “walk.”
So we are called to “walk in our lives wisely.” And to do that, we need the “right shoes.”
What does that look like?
To walk wisely through our journeys, avoiding the danger zones, we need to surround ourselves with that which brings and breathes life into us.
We need to dedicate ourselves to prayer and listening to the voice of God.
We need to surround ourselves with people who want the best for us, who are our biggest champions rather than people who will drag us down.
And we need to be committed to making wise decisions, decisions based in love not selfishness, envy, pride, etc. You get the point.
Often times it is easy to make decisions based on superficial reasons or what feels best in the moment. We don’t look at all the circumstances and weigh our options. We just barge ahead, not recognizing that our brazen steps are leading us to the danger zones.
Walk wisely.
Walking wisely leads to life.
We just need to make sure we grab the right shoes.
Grace and Peace,
Andrea