Making Space

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.”

—Isaiah 43:18–19 

I threw a second pair of shoes into the back seat of my car just in case the pair I was wearing fell apart. You see, a few years earlier, the strap on my wedge sandals suddenly popped out as I solemnly made my way out of the sanctuary following a funeral. With nothing to keep the shoe secure to my foot, I was forced to miss the memorial luncheon and evade the receiving line.

You might be wondering why I hold on to shoes that have the potential to fall apart. That’s a good question. But to answer it properly, I need to provide some background.

I love shoes, especially heels. And no ordinary black or gray shoe will do. (I don’t wear brown.) They need to be strappy or glittery, preferably with pointed toes, and definitely comfortable. I would define my shoe collection as unique yet sophisticated with practical application. I love my shoes so much that I keep each pair in the box they were sold in; I then stack the boxes by season and color in my shoe closet. Yes, you read that correctly—I have a shoe closet.

Now that you know the background, you may better understand why some of my shoes fall apart. Shoes, which are basically leather and glue, lose their adhesion under years of heating and air conditioning. I tend to keep my shoes forever, so if they sit in the closet for too long without much wear, I can’t count on their durability (or my safety) when I wear them again in public.  

Hence the funeral misfortune.  

As I threw the second pair of shoes into the backseat of the car last Sunday morning, my husband commented, “If you think your shoes are going to break, why don’t you just throw them out?” I couldn’t provide a good answer. But when I stepped out of the car and the heel broke, I knew it was time to give his question serious consideration. (Thank goodness I had a second pair in the backseat!)

It’s not like I can’t afford a new pair of shoes, because I can. And it’s not that I’m emotionally attached to any of the boxes, because I’m not. It’s because I can’t justify throwing away shoes that are pretty and comfortable (especially those with high heels) even at the risk of twisting an ankle.

But here’s the thing… if we aren’t willing to let go of what’s attractive and satisfying, we fail to make room for something better.

The Pharisees and Sadducees failed to recognize Jesus as the Son of God because they were steadfastly comfortable with their beliefs. They had anchored their faith in Mosaic law and the traditions of the elders, which provided them with a sense of stability and control. The sturdy walls they had constructed prohibited them from seeing God’s presence and imprisoned the people from seeing it too. Jesus points this out in Matthew 23:13 when he says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”

Our God is first and foremost creative. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But he didn’t stop there. He went on to create light and water, land and vegetation, animals and mankind. So, who are we to put a cap on what God will do? And yet, we do just that when we settle for religious practices that are comfortable. “Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so” (Hebrews 6:1–3).

Which brings me back to my shoes.

This week, I let go of five pairs. Two I donated; three I threw out (because of their twist-an-ankle potential). It wasn’t easy because they were all so lovely! But removing them from the closet shelves has opened up space for new shoes to purchased. I don’t plan to go shopping any time soon, but I’m keeping my eyes open for something new. And only heaven knows when that will be.

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SHARING AN APPROPRIATE SONG: We Make Space by Bethel Music

Favorite lyric: “We make space, we make room. We have come to yield to You.” and “We’re clearing out the clutter. You’re the only One we’re after.”