If the Shoe Fits Wear It

We are sinners simply because we choose to sin or live selfishly. We are never held accountable for what we are not the author of. Ability is always the measure of responsibility. God has given us the ability to direct our lives, either according to intelligence in recognition of our obligation to God and our fellowmen, or according to selfishness and unintelligence in the supreme seeking of our own happiness.  Gordon Olson

This morning I went to find my black pumps to wear to work.  Since it is going to be 70 degrees today I decided to not wear boots which are my standby in the winter.  So I have a bag that has a several pairs of shoes in it that I hadn’t unpacked from November of last year.  So I reach into this bag and pull out a pair of black pumps and went to slip them on.  They were about 3 inches too short.  You are probably thinking; why would she buy a pair of shoes 3 inches too short?  Well, I didn’t.  When I pulled my toes out of these tiny shoes it dawned on me that these were either my sister’s shoes or my nieces.  I wear a size 8 and whoever these shoes belong to wears a size 5.  I felt like I was in the Cinderella fairy tale where the ugly stepsisters had big feet but wanted the Prince so they tried to squeeze their feet into too small shoes.

As often happens I started thinking about God at this point.  The first thing that popped into my head was the old saying; “If the shoe fits, wear it.”  This made me think about how many times in my life I wasn’t willing to wear the shoe that fit me.  How many times do we go through life not taking responsibility for our actions?  It happens every day and many times we all know someone who is not willing to wear the shoes that fit them.  If I am irresponsible then I should accept responsibility for my actions.  If I am wrong I should be willing to accept that I am wrong and own it.

 

Instead too often we play the blame game.  We place the blame on someone else.  It is much easier to do that than accept the shoe we need to wear which is the one that fits.  So we point the finger at another and blame them for our shortcomings or lies. 

We have to look no further than the story of Cain & Abel.  Remember the story of how Abel brought the firstborn of his flock and Cain brought an offering of fruit of the ground.  Abel’s offering was pleasing to God but Cain’s was not.  If you look at the wording of these verses it referenced that Abel brought the “firstborn” of his flock but Cain brought “an offering”.  Cain’s offering was not the best for God.  Remember what God tells him when he gets angry.  Genesis 4:6-7 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

If sin lies at our door we need to accept it and own up to it.  We must remember that the very sin we are denying can bring us down.  So if the shoe fits wear it.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I have been guilty in the past of not owning up to my responsibility for my actions.  You know what my actions are just as you knew that Cain had killed his brother.  You wanted Cain to own up to his responsibility but he didn’t. He didn’t accept the shoe that fit him.  I pray for strength to accept and take responsibility and not place blame on another.    

Scripture: And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”

He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.  So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.  When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”  Genesis 4:3-12