Romans 10:15b
As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
I’ve known some people in my lifetime that have a real problem with feet, and if I were to start writing about looking at feet, washing feet, touching feet, and possibly even smelling feet, they would yak on their computer screens. Quite possibly, they just did. Cool. Anyway, I’m not one of those people, but I’ve always wondered how those people would respond to this verse. Would they also think the feet are beautiful? Would they touch the feet and perhaps even kiss them? Who knows, but they just yakked again. A double-yak Evotion is a great way to start the day, right?
If you go back to Isaiah 52, you’ll find the original context of the verse, and it actually says in verse 7 that the feet of those bringing good news are beautiful “on the mountain.” This is good news for feet yakkers everywhere because at least they could see them from a distance and still rejoice. But the real question is why God said their feet were beautiful? I think the answer’s obvious, and it isn’t that we should sign up happy people as foot models.
The message is what is beautiful. In Isaiah they brought good news, peace, good tidings, salvation. They stood on a mountain where people were captive and exiled and they shouted, “Your God reigns!” In Romans, they brought they saving message of Jesus and what He had done to cancel their sin. That’s a great message!
But let’s go one step further. Back in the day before really cool shoes, they didn’t walk around with their feet covered. They’d be barefoot, or possibly in sandals, and those feet would get very dirty. In fact, the foot was one of the dirtiest – if not the dirtiest – parts of the body, and yet the good news they carried was powerful enough to cause the dirty part to be seen as beautiful. That’s great news for those of us who see a lot of ugly places in our lives and yet are still trying to carry good news to others! We may feel ugly and unworthy, but the good news about Jesus and what He’s done is so transforming, that it makes our worst look beautiful to the ones we share it with.
So go, toe jam and all, and share it. Just watch out for feet yakkers.
I love your devos, they make me smile–sometimes right before they slap me. *) You’re a ‘life’ writer, like me. Only I’m a mamawl with 13 grandkids. Keep up the good work, love to read you!