These Old Boots

They were battered and worn, these old boots. Bought fresh out of college by a young man whose friends often considered him a cowboy, these boots immediately became his footwear of choice for every occasion: hiking to riding to dancing; even symphonies and weddings. 

Not exotic in style or material, just a simple brown leather with traditional cowboy heel, but sturdy and well-made, these old boots. Miles and miles of daily wear over nearly 12 years, through snow and ice, mud and dust, on the streets and hitting the dance floors. 

The squared toes were bruised, muddied, scuffed and scarred many times along the way on these old boots. Over the years various parts of the boots worn down; the young man replaced the heels at least 3 times, and bought new insoles probably 4 times or more to keep them wearable.

Somewhere along the way, the young man had learned to maintain his boots by rubbing them down with oil after cleaning them of mud or debris. The oil prolonged the life and integrity of the leather, and over the years, he lost count how many times he cleaned and oiled these old boots. 

He cared for them diligently, regularly rubbing them down to minimize scuffs, scratches, and other signs of wear, restoring the leather’s appearance. It kept the leather soft and inside dry, and overtime the outside became more resistant to water, snow, and mud on these old boots.

Still going steady after 12 years, the entire bottom sole plus the heel had just been replaced, and one day while rubbing down the leather, the young man noticed something for the first time: more than just preserving the leather’s life, the oil had given new character to these old boots. 

The old textures were smoother, even while scuffs and scratches created new textures after the scars were rubbed out. The brown acquired a deeper, richer color and the leather developed an elegant sheen. The leather was original, but no longer the same on these old boots. 

It was then the young man appreciated the similarity between the care his Heavenly Father gives to His children and the care given to these old boots. Throughout the years, the Father had done the same for the young man on the inside, often without the young man noticing. 

The Father purified the young man’s heart with the blood of His Son, and set to work on sanctifying his soul through the Spirit. The gracious and merciful work of the Spirit continually preserved the young man’s life and mind through danger, loneliness, and despair.

But again, like the oil, the work of the Spirit transcends preservation; continually rubbing out the scars, scuffs, and scratches of sin, new character emerged. Old regrets, pain, anger, doubts, indifference, and pride were displaced by a deeper, richer faith, full of joy and delight in the Lord. 

If you do not know Jesus Christ, then I hope this will encourage you to learn more about Him and get to know Him. If you already know and believe in Jesus, then I hope this heartens you and lends new perspective to your walk, just like what happened to me while oiling these old boots.

75th Anniversary Salute to Pearl Harbor

Seventy-five years ago today, a battle line rode at anchor along the quay

From the sky one clear Sunday morning, came an attack without warning

Smoke and flames filled the air, as catastrophe struck all caught unaware

An infamous day ended in tragedy, four years later redeemed in victory

Stained by the Blood

I recently revisited an old thought on the effects of the blood of Christ and His sacrifice...I once compared the work of the Spirit to that of a wood stain or varnish on a piece of furniture, how we may be different shades or serve the Lord in different ways, but we all bear the same "stain" of Christ's blood and the "seal" of the Holy Spirit .

In talking with one of my roommates the other day, I noted how a piece of lumber, no matter if it has all smooth grain or if it has knots or scuffs in the wood, the stain covers them all and gives them a beauty they would not really have otherwise.

The more I thought about these things, the more I considered that, in truth, probably the most beautiful areas on stained wooden furniture is where the knots or little deviations in the wood occur. A smooth grain is attractive, but it does not grab the attention or the eye as much as the knots, scars, and other imperfections in the wood's surface. So to, the greatest work wrought by the "stain" of Christ's blood is often the knots, scuffs, and imperfections in our own lives. He alone can take those things that should be found repulsive or the things that gnaw at our souls and transform them into a testimony of His greatness.

What has He transformed in you? How has the stain of His blood impacted your life?

Heroes

The easy desire in life is the longing to be a hero; humbly, or at times not

To be someone who speaks “immortal words” amidst a defining moment

As young children we either hear of heroes of bygone days, or make up our own

We grow older, and we continue to see or hear about what makes a hero

Many qualities are attributed to “heroes” depending on the advocates

However, perhaps the most consistent quality is that heroes are iconic

Whether someone’s hero be flamboyant or humble, tender or hard

They are known by many, and they are examples and role models

However, most people are not heroes, most are just everyday individuals

As Christians, we too may long to be a hero, whether Paul, Ruth, or Peter

Perhaps we would prefer to be a David, Esther, Elijah, Moses, or Abraham

But I believe we often forget something that is critical about them all

No matter the station, be it shepherd or king, foreigner or beloved daughter

They were not heroes of a singular event; they had no “immortal” Alamo

Frankly, they were not “heroes” according to most common standards

What set them apart from those around them, and to this very day was faith

Not a one-time occurrence, but a lifelong pursuit and process of faith

No matter their place in life, they searched for and served the Lord heartily

Sins and mistakes were strewn everywhere along their course, yet they held

They did not seek fame or fortune, though temptation touches everyone

Throughout all trials and successes, fears and doubts, they were steadfast

They are a testimony to our mandate in Scripture, to serve God in all things

In word and deed, in Spirit and in truth, their lifelong focus was serving God
If we are to set an example and be a witness to our King, we must be faithful


In our own trials and successes, we must seek and serve God as our purpose
We will see more clearly who and what we are, and at the end, we will know

Heroes and villains alike have character, but character shows only in time…what will we be?