Fancy Footprints
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My husband and I love to camp at Bruneau Dunes State Park, with its vast sand dunes rising from the desert floor like ancient pyramids.
During the day, we hike and catch and release bluegill in the small lakes at the foot of the dunes. At night, we turn our eyes toward heaven and let our spirits soar toward our Creator in hope and faith again and again. Early one evening, as we walked down the sandy trail toward our campsite, we passed a young woman who seemed very much out of place.
Camping in the dunes at this Idaho campground means finding sand everywhere. You breathe it, you cook it, and sometimes you even eat it.
But this young woman was impeccably dressed.
Even her dog looked like one of those top breeds you only see with celebrities. Soon after we passed her, I noticed the most unusual sets of footprints dotting the sand behind her. No doubt, they came from some very expensive shoes.
So I immediately assumed they belonged to her.
When we arrived at our campsite, I was surprised to see the same shoeprints tattooing the sand all over our campsite. I almost expected to find her in front of me.
Then, a thought struck me. I grabbed my foot and looked under my sandals.
And what do you know? Those footprints had been left by me! I was the “fancy” camper with the cool shoes! I laughed at myself, suddenly aware of the lesson my heavenly Father was trying to teach me. We are all unique and impressive in our own way.
We measure others based on their outward appearance, their looks, education, and their social or economic status. The Lord measures by a very different standard.
He measures the heart. I am so thankful I serve a God who values us all the same and does not make distinctions between His earthly children.
The promise is that nothing can “separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39, NIV). And this love has nothing to do with our status or image, our education or our worth but, rather, with a God who never changes.
A God whose love for us will always remain.
What comfort that brings when we stop and think about it!
Olga Valdivia
