These boots were made for walking

A ritual that happens in churches every Sunday is that the flowers are placed on the offertory table in memory of someone.  Flowers, but a boot on the offering table? Or is it the alter table? Or do you call it the communion table?  What ever you call it, there’s a boot with flowers sitting on the “in remembrance of me” table.

Now, maybe someone with an artistic eye is using the boot in a neat artistic way.  After all, I’m in a church service here in the West (Colorado).  Or maybe just maybe……… the person that we are remembering actually wore this boot.  Well, I hope they cleaned it up cause there is no telling where those boots have been!  Remember, I’m out West with all the pastures, mud, corral pens, horses, cattle, and ………… stuff that you need your boots to walk around in.

Then I catch myself………..  What is God showing me through someone’s idea of decorating the church with these flowers?

Why flowers?  It’s to remember someone with this gift that in turn is used to glorify God.  I’m “catching myself”, actually now I’m “kicking myself”, for looking for dirt on these boots rather than the flowers that are brightly shining from within.

Ain’t this a “poke in the ribs”?  It’s enlightening me as to how you and I view other people.  Even how we view other Christians.  Might as well get personal here……. even how we view our family and friends.  Well hey, yeehaw,  let me “stomp on your toes”, (since you’re not wearing the boot).  This is how you view yourself.  You focus on the dirt and crap on your boots, and not on the flowers blooming from within.   Say it with me…… I focus on the dirt and not on the flowers!

God put us on this Earth.  We each have a journey to travel, (some wearing Cowboy boots).  We all will get “dirty”.  You walk around in the mud and cattle pens called “SIN” and partner, you gonna have some dirty boots.  But back up on your horse here a minute.  God put us on this Earth.  He knows we are gonna get our boots dirty.  But He has planted a seed within our boots, (our heart) and one day this seed will bloom into a fresh bouquet of flowers.  Huh?  Hang in there with me. You see, His Glory will be growing, blooming, shining, for all the world to see right there inside of little ole you.  Don’t get hung up on whether it’s my glory, or God’s.  Don’t get caught up wondering if it’s my talents, or talents from God.  Everything about you is from God!!  Even those stinky boots.  I think He knows how to clean them up.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Yep, He found a way to clean up your boots(your life) and even plant a seed of Glory (eternal life) inside of you.  I think you and I need to focus less on every one’s dirty boots and enjoy the flowers that will be eternally blooming from within.  To God be the Glory.

See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher