Thoughts of Christ and Sandals

We all carry the image of Christ wearing sandals. Since living in the tropics, this is something I totally understand. I have tried wearing sneakers here, but it is impossible . . . at least for me. I see the bush cutters dressed from crown to toe, totally covered to protect themselves from flying objects and I don't know how they do it. I put on a pair of shoes with socks and I almost faint. It's just too hot!

So, as a good beach doc, I wear sandals to work. I wear sandals to walk. I wear sandals all the time. It's the only way to survive the heat and humidity. You have to let your toes breathe.

So why do I think of Christ? I think of it because of the ordinance of washing feet. You see, we all wear sandals to Church as well. We all shower and get into our best clothing to attend church, but once you've walked to church in your sandals, although your hair, body, and clothing are perfectly clean and prepared for worship, there is dust upon your feet. Kevan and I equate this to repentance. Although each one of us must repent and make certain our souls are clean and prepared to present ourselves to God, just the act of getting ourselves those last few feet into the presence of God brings with it dust upon our sandaled feet. Christ, therefore, waits at the door to remove that last bit of dust we bring with us on our final journey. To me, this is a tender representation of Christ's love for each of us that while it does not excuse us from cleaning ourselves for the final moment of worship, Christ is there to welcome us as well as to wash and anoint us for the penultimate introduction.

I think of this parable every day as I carefully watch the ground for holes so that I don't fall on my walk to and from work. It helps remind me that I serve as Christ's hands here on Tinian while he waits to remove the dust from my feet.