Shiny Shoes

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”  Romans 8:1-2

I learned how to polish my good dress shoes by watching my dad.  He had a job where he dressed up every day with a suit and tie, before the invention of Casual Friday, and before Casual Friday became the standard for every day of the work week.  I can remember sitting with him on the back step of our house while he polished his shoes.  He would do it almost every Friday.  He had been wearing them all week to work and would shine them up to be ready for church.  When my much smaller shoes needed to be shined, he would help me do it.

I never have been as regular about shining my shoes as my dad has been.  It isn’t for a lack of equipment.  I have a shoe shine kit with leather conditioner, different colors of polish, different kinds of brushes, and buffing cloths.  I have everything I need to keep my shoes in top condition.  But my poor shoes usually get attention only when they degrade to a truly unseemly state, or I have a special social occasion that requires I look my best.  I can never make them look as good as a professional can, and so I often wonder why I should even try.

About two weeks ago I went down to the mall after work to buy a couple of new shirts for my work wardrobe.  I went straight from work without stopping at home to change.  There is a place at the mall where they will shine your shoes.  Mine where looking particularly pathetic that day, so I decided to have them done.  I got up in the chair and mumbled an apology for letting nice shoes look so bad.  I asked the man if he would just do the best he could.  I suppose I expected him to lecture me on the proper technique for shoe care, but it never came.  He just went to work with soap and water to clean them, and then several rub downs with leather conditioner to try and revive them.  They looked nearly brand new after he finished buffing the second coat of polish.  When he was done, he looked at me and said, “See, these are still nice shoes.  Very good.”

I have been thinking that I often treat God the same way.  My life slowly degrades a little every day until it is a mess.  I could reconcile to God any day, any time.  But I start feeling embarrassed about how things are falling apart.  I want to pretend that I am strong and have it all together.  I don’t of course so things slowly spin out of control.  I suppose from the outside that I look pretty put together, but inside I cannot fool myself.  Eventually things get bad enough and I go back to God, head down, and embarrassed to be coming back again.  Never once has God laughed at my trouble, or lectured me, or told me I deserved it for not following His commandments.  Every single time He cleans me up and tells me once again that He loves me.  God sure is good, all the time.

[PhotoCredit:respres & Moriza & Monsieur Paradis]