BEAUTIFUL FEET
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
—Paul | Letter to the Christians in Rome
It would have been easy to categorize Sam as one of those "crazy Christians." But the more you got to know him, the more you realized he was the real deal.
I first met Sam when he started attending the church I pastored. He lived in a small RV parked in a nearby trailer park. He had spent 23 years in the Air Force, and three years before retiring, he became a Christian.
Sam was crazy about Jesus. He talked about Jesus all the time, at every opportunity, to everyone who would listen. He stood on the sidewalk outside our church, holding up a sign, "Honk if you love Jesus." He had a perpetual smile on his face.
In my 45 years as a Christian, I have seen many things done in the name of Christ. In reality, Christ wasn't in any of them. Such things had little to do with Jesus and everything to do with man. It is one of the things that bums me out about Christianity today. How easy it is to twist the truths of God around so that it pleases us, the antithesis of why Jesus came.
It would have been easy to categorize Sam as one of those "crazy Christians." But the more you got to know him, the more you realized he was the real deal.
We met in a building that had to be set up every time we met. In time Sam took over our set-up ministry. There was no glory in setting up chairs week after week. But then again, Sam wasn't interested in any credit for himself. He was only interested in bringing glory to God. He took his role seriously. He would pray, chair by chair, for those who would soon be sitting in them.
In the 17 years I pastored the church, Sam was the best, and we had some good ones. I can't recall watching anyone derive as much joy as he did, week after week.
One Sunday morning, after preaching the message, Sam came to the front of the platform. He had something to say, something that caught me entirely off guard.
"Pastor Ron," he said, "You have beautiful feet."
It was one of the more awkward, after-service moments I had experienced.
When did Sam see my feet, and what was he doing looking at them?
I didn't know how to respond. He continued, "Every week, you bring the good news of the gospel to us. Romans says, 'beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"
What started as awkward turned out to be one of the most encouraging things I had heard after a Sunday service.
Upon thinking about Sam, so many images come to mind. At the top of the list is when he took the role of Simeon in our Christmas program. Simeon was a man Luke described as one who was righteous and devout, full of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen The Lord's Christ, Jesus.
Sam was initially hesitant. He had never acted before, but I convinced him.
His costume looked the most authentic, especially his headpiece. He collected it on one of his trips overseas. He had never acted before, and what he lacked in acting skills he made up in his passion for Jesus. You knew he believed everything he was saying.
His was the last monologue, the climax of the program.
Joseph and Mary entered the temple in Jerusalem with their newborn baby. Simeon was there, and when he saw them, he took Jesus into his arms, blessed God, and said.
"I have seen the Messiah. I have seen him with my own eyes, in my flesh. I am able to depart in peace because I have seen 'a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles.' I have seen, 'the glory of Your people Israel,' Immanuel, God with us!"
The world needs more people like Sam. People who love Jesus with heart and soul. People who are looking for every opportunity to walk on beautiful feet.
Epilogue
A couple of years ago, I heard that Sam had passed away, and while I was grieved to hear the news, there was comfort in knowing that the day is coming when I will see Sam again and we will be side by side worshipping Jesus.
Romans 10:14015 | Luke 2:22-35