ONE Day without Shoes

This year, I am going to participate in an event called "One Day Without Shoes". This event is held by TOMS shoes, an organization with a motto of One For One. For every pair of TOMS shoes you buy, they give a pair to a child in need of shoes. Pretty cool, right? One Day Without Shoes is an event created by TOMS to raise awareness for children who need shoes.

What's the big deal about shoes, you may ask? Well, many children in developing countries cannot attend school because of a lack of shoes, a huge health problem in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases which can be prevented with shoes, and obviously, wearing shoes prevents cuts and sores on the feet which, if infected, can lead to serious medical trouble. So, shoes are a pretty big deal. Everyday life could be pretty miserable without them.

Knowing all this, why go without shoes? Because we, in America and other wealthy nations, have a choice whether or not to wear shoes. Many of us, myself included, have a dozen or more pairs from which to choose. I am choosing to go barefoot on Thursday April 8 because I want to walk a mile [figuratively and literally] in those people's shoeless state. I want to feel their pain, discomfort, embarrassment, and whatever else may come. The thing is, I'm only doing this for one day, one 24-hour period. Countless others around the world go without shoes every single day. Those people suffer without shoes. On Friday, I'll go back to my flip-flops and Converse and be protected again, those people don't have that luxury. That's right, shoes are a luxury, we should be grateful to God that we can afford them and can afford to help others who go without.

The underlying reason why I'm participating in this event is not to raise awareness for a great cause, to be a rebel, or to scrape up my feet. The real reason I'm participating is to bring glory to God through the day. As Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "I tell you the truth, whatever you do for the least of these brothers of Mine, you also do for Me." I will go without next Thursday for Christ. I am really doing all this for Christ, nothing else matters. He is the reason I'm blessed with all that I have, I am only returning a minute portion of His gifts to me by serving him through this day of humility.

So, the question is, will you join me? Will you forgo shoes for just ONE day? Can you do that much for Christ? Do you care enough to obey His call to obedience? If your answer is yes, please visit the One Day Without Shoes website by clicking on the banner on my sidebar. After you sign up, please comment here or email me and let me know! Happy Barefooting!