“…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
-Ephesians 6:15
The third piece Paul mentions that composes the armor of God is what he calls the [shoes] of the “readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” We generally don’t consider shoes as being a part of a soldier’s armor. But think about it. If soldiers don’t have solid, comfortable shoes that will hold up on the field of battle, they will not be able to prevail. Romans soldiers’ sandals were often fitted with nails or spikes to anchor securely to the ground. Similarly to share the good news anchors us to the marching orders of our commander who commands us in the Great Commission, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” -Matthew 28:19-20. The same command is found in Mark 16:15, “Then he told them: Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world.” And again Jesus reinforces this command in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
But what do shoes have to do with the gospel of peace? To answer this question we have to understand what “gospel of peace” means. The word “gospel” “euaggellion” means “good news.” The word peace,“eirene” means not only “peace,” but also “wholeness” and “salvation.” It has a similar meaning with the Hebrew word “shalom.” The gospel of peace is none other than the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. To put on the shoes of the gospel of peace means being ready and eager to find opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15 As Christians, we’re called to share the good news of Jesus Christ with other people. Having our shoes fitted with the gospel of peace allows us to carry out our commander’s orders in sharing the good news with others. The shoes of peace then equip us to fight for Christ in the spiritual battles we have with the enemy.
O God, fit us with the shoes of the Gospel of Peace so that we might be effective soldiers to spread Your Gospel, the good news to all who need to hear it.
Questions for Reflection
1. Why is the story of Jesus good news?
2. It may be easier to answer the first question by answering this question: How has the good news about Jesus been good news for your life?
3. How would you explain this “good news” to someone who knew nothing about Jesus?4. What opportunities do you have each day to share the good news of Jesus with others by words and actions?