Friday, March 26: The Shoes of the Jews

Years ago I remember struggling to get through college. While at the University of North Carolina, my seemingly insurmountable hurdle was putting enough time into studies while making enough money to pay for that education. I couldn’t sustain both and dropped out. After a year away from school, I tried again by attending the United States Air Force Academy, where the government paid for the education. Unfortunately, the math/science curriculum was incredibly difficult for my language arts brain. Once again, I departed from school. After a few more years had passed, it looked like my window of opportunity to earn a college degree was closing. That’s when my mother, who was lacking in book smarts, gave me her words of wisdom:


“You can eat an elephant one bite at a time,” she said. I returned to UNC and worked full-time while going to school full-time, in order to complete my degree. Those words encouraged me to take whatever life dished out, without regard to fairness or expectations. Nike’s advertisements gave it another spin, “Just Do It!” Sacrificing sleep and taking the difficult steps one day at a time, I finally finished my degree without wearing out two years later.


Though I wasn’t following the Lord at the time, He certainly knew that I would be His. Can God sustain us through incredible difficulties in a supernatural way?


5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or similar drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.                                  Deuteronomy 29:5


Have you ever worn a pair of shoes daily on which the soles lasted for 40 years? Not a chance! In the same manner that God can make shoes endure the elements and all that we can dish out against them, He can protect His children from wearing out!


When the obstacles in front of us seem insurmountable, we know that they only seem that way! God puts us into those situations to see how we will respond! Our choices are to throw in the towel, or take a bite of elephant. If you need an example to inspire you, just think of the shoes of the Jews!