These shoes have been worn well. They wrap around a pair of feet that have danced until steps could no longer be taken due to exhaustion. They’ve walked halls of schools and run to unknown places going exploring. They’ve jumped to the beat of music or to sink the ball in the basket for an impressive three pointer. These shoes are on feet that doctors predicted would be clumsy and slow. Feet belonging to a young man with Down syndrome for whom doctors and some teachers had low expectations. Indeed these feet were slower to learn to walk but they walked right on time for the race that this young man is running.
What doctors failed to share about these feet was that they would walk to the alter in response to another’s pain and need for compassion and forgiveness. Or that they would intentionally walk across rooms to acknowledge others who struggle with mobility. Or that they would carry this young man to pulpits to pray. These feet have carried the gospel to those who feel unworthy or too far gone to be loved.
Isaiah 52:7 tells us, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’.”
Perhaps the feet who bring good news are not as you imagined. It is sad to miss the treasure inside because we ignore the package it comes in. The outside may appear disheveled or unkempt wearing mismatched clothing. The words we hear may be garbled or shared with a stutter. Perhaps we don’t give merit to the message because it is comprised of short, hesitantly spoken words or even communicated with gestures. Does the message hold less value because of the way in which it is delivered?
Jesus taught and lived inclusion. Accessibility is organic to the gospel message. To overlook or intentionally exclude those with disabilities from the church undermines foundational gospel truths.
I Corinthians 12:12-20 “12 There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. 13 We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14 So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.15 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16 And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20 As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.”
Demonstrating the profound beauty of the gospel can sometimes be seen from those we least expect wearing shoes that have been worn well as God’s instruments carrying the joy and hope of Jesus.
