“OH! MY ACHING FEET!”

BY STEVE NIEMEIER

While watching our grandson Eli a while back we noticed that he kept kicking off his shoes.  No matter how many times that we tried to put them back on his feet, he would untie them and kick them off again.  Needless to say that this became very frustrating to us as we thought that he was just causing a “problem.”  As this progressed we made an observation that his shoes might be too tight on his feet causing them to be cramped.  Of course the first thing we wanted to do was to tell his parents that his shoes might be too small.  Of which (like most of us parents) the answer was “They are not that old.”  Unfortunately Eli not being able to talk and communicate with us could not tell us if this was the problem or not.  Meanwhile, the “shoe game” continued “shoes on----shoes off----shoes on----shoes off” at least Eli was having fun with his frustration while it was driving us older ones “batty.”

Fortunately, we were scheduled to meet our daughter at a shopping center for an hour or two of shopping.  A suggestion was made that she might want to take Eli to a children's shoe store and have his feet measured and see if his shoes were too small.  As we went into the store and secured the services of a sales associate, the first item of business was to “measure” the feet of Eli.  Much to our amazement he was wearing a shoe that was not just a little to small but his shoes were one full size in length too short and the width was too narrow.  After some research, new shoes were purchased and Eli's aching feet will have a break for a few months---until his feet grow and he needs to be “measured” again.

A congregation of the Lord's people reminds me somewhat of Eli's foot problem.  As the congregation grows, some members are “kicking off their shoes” because they are growing and need “new shoes to grow in”.  At the same time some members are busy trying to “put the old shoes back on” so that everyone has “the protection of a shoe on their feet”.  Thus we have the “shoes on----shoes off----shoes on----shoes off” game that is being played with both parties doing what they think is right and getting frustrated playing the “shoe game.”

My friend we are experiencing “aching feet” here at Greenwood and this is a good opportunity.  Anytime growth occurs the inevitable “shoes on----shoes off” game begins to take its toll on the members and “frustration” sets in.  Congregations that come together and reason out that it is time to be “measured” will be the congregations that grow as the Lord wills.  Let us that are older stop a moment and not “tie the shoe” and use our experience to “measure” the situation understanding that the old shoe might not fit anymore and that we might have to research “new shoes”.  Let us that are younger stop a moment and remember that researching “new shoes” before buying is better than “buying the first pair of shoes” just to have a change of shoes.  Then by blending our research, talents, ideas and energy we can equip ourselves with the “right shoe” at the “right time” so that we won't have to say “Oh!  My aching feet!” and we can walk hand in hand to do the work of the Lord in this community---TOGETHER!!!

The Lord is blessing us with spiritual growth that has also brought numerical growth.  What a wonderful blessing and we should be very thankful even if it means that our feet are aching somewhat because of the growth!

BIBLE TRIVIA

1.  God told Abram that his descendants would be enslaved and mistreated for how long?

1. “Many years”
2. “Two generations”
3. “A thousand years”
4. “Four hundred years”
5. “Until they repent”

2.  Which of the following was true concerning Abraham's family:

1. He had a daughter named Hagar with his wife Sarah and illegitimated son named Isaac with an unnamed woman.
2. He had a son named Isaac with Hagar and a son named Ishmael with his wife Sarah.
3. He had a son named Isaac with his wife Sarah and a son named Ishmael with his wife's servant Hagar.
4. Sarah, his wife, had Ishmael when she was very old and thought herself barren.