I love shoes. The shoe section at Macy’s is my favorite. It feels like there are thousands of shoes displayed beautifully in a nice, neat little section that is so fun to browse. I am usually only there when there are sales going on and I have the infamous red 20% off coupons. So it makes it extra fun to see how much money I can save while finding the perfect pair of shoes!!
I hate it though when I see those shoes on display that are gorgeous and they don’t fit right. “Those would look perfect on my size 8 1/2 feet”. The attendant brings the “Cinderella slipper” to me. I put it on and look down……….. and it’s just not right. It crunches my toes together on the side…….or it’s way too tight…….or it rubs up and down on my heel when I walk. I can’t wear those shoes!
Did you ever think about where the saying “walk a mile in their shoes” came from? As a society, we love gossip. We love being able to share the next best piece of juicy information that gets people talking about someone (and in turn takes their focus off of our own issues). We can’t wait to share the latest police blog or the latest tweet about a coworker who was spotted cheating on their spouse. We read internet posts to get the latest dirt on people to share with others. We can’t wait to read the local newspaper to see who’s getting a divorce. “It’s just water cooler office talk” we say.
Ephesians 4:29 says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
So the next time you can’t wait to share the news of someone else’s drunk driving arrest or the neighbor’s son being taken to the hospital for a drug overdose or even your coworker’s sudden weight gain, STOP and think how you would feel if someone were gossiping about your life and your misfortunes.
Walk a mile in their shoes and see if they fit your feet like Cinderella’s slipper or if you need to keep quiet and put those boots back on the shelf and walk quietly away……….wearing your own shoes.
