Virginia Piper
March 6, 2020
These shoes have been worn well. They wrap around a pair of feet that have danced until steps could no longer be taken due to exhaustion. They’ve walked halls of schools and run to unknown places going exploring. They’ve jumped to the beat of music or to sink the ball in the basket for an impressive three pointer. These shoes are on feet that doctors predicted would be clumsy and slow. Feet belonging to a young man with Down syndrome for whom doctors and some teachers had low expectations. Indeed these feet were slower to learn to walk but they walked right on time for the race that this young man is running.
What doctors failed to share about these feet was that they would walk to the alter in response to another’s pain and need for compassion and forgiveness.
These feet have carried the gospel to those who feel unworthy or too far gone to be loved.
Isaiah 52:7 tells us, “7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!.” (KJV)
Perhaps the feet who bring good news are not as you imagined. It is sad to miss the treasure inside because we ignore the package it comes in. The outside may appear disheveled or unkempt wearing mismatched clothing. The words we hear may be garbled or shared with a stutter. Perhaps we don’t give merit to the message because it is comprised of short, hesitantly spoken words or even communicated with gestures. Does the message hold less value because of the way in which it is delivered?
Jesus taught and lived inclusion. Accessibility is organic to the gospel message. To overlook or intentionally exclude those with disabilities from the church undermines foundational gospel truths.
I Corinthians 12:12-20 “12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.” (KJV)
Demonstrating the profound beauty of the gospel can sometimes be seen from those we least expect wearing shoes that have been worn well as God’s instruments carrying the joy and hope of Jesus.