Jack Hardaway
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Take your shoes off and leave them at the door.
I was a child and a new family moved into the neighborhood, with children.
When we came over to play we had to take our shoes off.
The shoes were all lined up at the door.
Which was fine, we didn’t even wear shoes most of the time anyway, barefoot was the norm. Which was a new thing for the new family. They were from some place called Massachusetts.
My new friends were barefoot before too long, we were a good influence.
In the summer the hot asphalt roads were a challenge to walk on. The tar bubbling up, our feet steaming and sizzling. We’d run from shady spot to shady spot.
Our feet stained by tar and tobacco spit.
Bare feet are vulnerable, open to the ground, even when toughened up there are sudden slices and punctures leaving bloody prints, but they are open to the texture of things, they can feel the land.
Like being a child.
Still open and curious.
Barefoot on holy ground.
I always remember back to my childhood when I hear the story of Moses first encountering God in the burning bush.
Take your shoes off and leave them at the door.
Holy ground waits.
Walk on the shady spots.
So Moses was in hiding.
He ran away, started a new life.
He had killed a man. It was out of anger to stop the abuse of a Hebrew, whether that man deserved to die or not, it left a mark. Moses had shattered the image of God. Moses had crossed over into that place where only God can go.
Moses thought it was his little secret, that he got away with it.
But people found out, like they always do.
So he ran.
A long way.
Until he met God. Apparently he couldn’t run far enough.
All the unusual events of his life up to this point, were just that, unusual. Nothing miraculous or mysterious.
Until now.
Alone, in the wilderness, watching Jethro’s sheep, the fire, the voice, the holy ground, the bare feet, and the call to go back, confront Pharaoh, and set the captives free.
Walk on holy ground, keep your distance, don’t get too close.
Walk barefoot. Stick to the shady spots.
Not everyone gets a chance to start over.
Moses’ life was a disaster, so he started over, simple and poor and far away from pretty much everything.
Until now.
Walk barefoot again Moses, become a child again Moses, try this life again Moses.
Open yourself to the holy.
Let the holy cut your feet, leave bloody prints.
Jesus feet were punctured.
Jesus feet bled.
Feel again.
This time save life.
This time give your life.
Do something worth the life that God breathes into you.
Not everyone gets a second chance like that.
Take off your shoes.
Walk on holy ground.
Don’t come too close.
Walk on the shady spots.
There is living and then there is being alive.
There is a life and then there is the life of being called.
Called out by the holy.
The holy doesn’t ask for volunteers.
It changes the ground we walk on without our permission.
We are called to the life of faith and love, to carry the cross Jesus, of trusting God deeply and joyfully.
Feel again.
Be open again.
Feel the adventure again.
Grow up into being a child again.
Be curious not suspicious.
Be hope filled, not hostile.
The holy flame calls us aside to trust like a child.
Start again. It’s never too late.
Be bare foot and holy.