Beautiful Feet

It was a cold day causing her to shiver. The wind swirling around her even made her feet ache. She entered the shop and soaked in the warmth as she found her chair and sat to wait. Joining in the conversation around her, she was a bit startled when the owner said "let me see your feet."

She hated people seeing her feet. They were rough, calloused, and her skin was a pasty gray. No matter what she did to them, they always looked . . . ugly. She had lost feeling in one foot due to a spinal injury and the other had little feeling in it. As long as they carried her where she wanted to go--she didn't really care how pretty they were. Feet were functional.

Before she knew what was happening, her feet were uncovered, examined, and soaking in a warm foot bath with special softeners. A callus on her big toe had cracked and they looked really bad. The spa assured her that they could fix that. So she sat back and sank into the wonderful feel of having her feet pampered.

After a long soak, they rubbed dead skin off, reduced her calluses and began working her feet with hot stones. As they worked her poor appendages; using reflexology as they massaged them, she felt herself relax. With lotion slathered on and hot towels wrapping them, she thought about the sheer delight of feet.

The strains of music soft in the background brought to mind Handel's Messiah's "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things." (Isaiah 52:7) She thought about the meaning behind the words.

So often we try to hide those things in our lives which are not pretty . . . perfect . . . presentable to our minds eye. We cover our flaws; hiding them from sight. Our feet are not made for pretty or to be perfect. Our feet are functional appendages that move us from place to place; guide us over all types of terrain, and connect us to our world.

Feet are where we first encounter the hard or smooth places. Feet are functional. Each step we take requires the harmonious function of twenty-six bones in order to propel us forward, support us when standing, and to balance our body. Feet take abuse and continue to serve us and thrive when shown minimal care--they are forgiving.

As followers of God; a part of the body of Christ we also encounter hard and smooth places in life. Our faith, like our feet propel us to a better understanding and relationship with God. Too often we neglect the spiritual needs of our lives and find them rough, callused, hurting. Yet, also like our feet, with a bit of care and attention, our spirits rest, recover, relax, and renew.

God, our healer and comforter, help us to walk in your ways, to rest and restore ourselves with your love and care. When we hurt, help us to allow your comforting touch to sooth, to teach, to remove the roughness, and to restore us to vitality. We submit ourselves to your loving touch and care, knowing that you will restore us to health. So be it. Amen.