Parable of the Shoe

Parable of the Shoe

All of the shoes have a sole. (Point out shoe soles.) It's a very important part of the shoe that protects our feet when we walk - and people also have a soul. It's spelled differently and is the spiritual part of a person.

 In the Bible we read in Psalm 42:1-2, "As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you, 0 God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." 

What else do we have in common with a shoe? Well, all these shoes have tongues - and all of us have tongues. (Wiggle shoe tongues) Our tongues are very important to us in speaking and communicating with each other. We need to use our tongues carefully as it can be used to speak well of others - or say bad things. It can be used in gossip - or to praise God. 

James 1:26 warns: "Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn't control his tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn't worth much."

The shoes have eyes where the laces go through. We also have eyes, which are very important to us. With them we see where we are going, read with them, and use them to see the beauty of God's creation and many other things.

 Psalm 123:2 says: "Our eyes look to the Lord our God till he shows us his mercy." And God is watching us too, as we read in Psalm 34:15: "The eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to Him." 

The shoes have laces that we tie to keep the shoes on our feet - or "bind" them on our feet. This reminds us of the song "Blest be the tie that binds, our hearts in Christian love." In Colossians 3:14 we read: "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Another thing we have in common with our shoes is the heel. In our society being called a heel is not a very complimentary term - but the heel is an important part of our foot and of the shoe.

And of course, when we think of shoes, we think of our feet, because that's where we use them! Psalm 116:8-9 says: "For you, 0 Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyesfrom tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living."

Thus ends the parable of the shoes - let's walk with God in love.