Those Old Shoes

There was once a very poor orphan who wanted nothing more in the world than to belong to a family. Finally, his opportunity came. When he was eight years old, a family wanted to adopt him! Introductions were made, papers were signed, and just 6 days after his eighth birthday he left for his new home. He took with him his hope and his possessions - the old worn and torn clothes he was wearing, his tattered shoes with holes in the soles, and a single soft toy. His new parents were excited to have him with them, and wanted him to feel like one of the family. A special celebration dinner was held, he was given his own room, and he was introduced to the other kids in the street.

His new parents took those old clothes, threw them away and bought him beautiful new clothes. They bought him a bike and more toys, and pretty soon he began to feel just like all the other kids in the neighborhood – loved and part of a family. One thing, however, was curious. The young boy’s old shoes, the ones with the big holes in them, weren’t tossed out with the rest of his clothes.  His new father placed them on the mantelpiece. It wasn’t long before the newly adopted son found out why. Every time that boy did something wrong his father would go and get those shoes and say "Look at all we’ve done for you. We took you in when you had nothing, but look at how you’ve behaved."*  

I’VE GOT GREAT NEWS FOR YOU:  God wants to adopt US into HIS family!
Even though "ALL of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" due to our SIN (Isaiah 64:6), God wants us to be a part of His family.

Our "adoption"  has been made possible through God’s Son, Jesus.  When the time was right, God sent his Son to "pay the price" for our redemption that that we might receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).  God "adopts" us when we: place our trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of our sins (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).

Once adopted into His family, WE need to remember where WE were without Him!  With grateful hearts, we should CONTINUE to live obediently to the will of our Father.  We also need to remember something very important:  When God adopts us into His family, he throws away ALL of OUR " filthy rags"  (our sins) – 
even those old, tattered shoes!  God says, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember NO MORE” (Hebrews 8:12).

Longing for a family?  Allow God to add YOU to His family through your trust and obedience.

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695  

* From Verse A Week Club, a ministry of the Withamsville church of Christ in Cincinnati , Ohio .  See www.wcoc-ohio.org

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