When you hear the term what Beautiful feet what is the first thing that comes to your mind? I look down at my feet and say, “not my feet.” My big toes are lollipop shaped, I see two crooked toes, and a toe longer than the rest. When I get a pedicure, the nails get painted, and my skin feels silky soft. I can put on a nice toe ring, a classy or cute pair of sandals, I know when I look down then I will see beautiful feet.
The prophet Isaiah said, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” Imagine what the prophet Isaiah’s feet might look like. People either wore sandal like shoes or no shoes and walked everywhere. Their feet were dirty, dusty and their skin dry and rough from all the miles that were walked. Isaiah’s imagery used here is not because they had clean manicured feet, but they had beautiful feet because of the message they carried of peace and salvation.
The apostle Paul asks a series of questions (Romans 10:10-14) about how will people know to call on Jesus (the saving faith in Him) if they never hear about Him; how will people hear about Him, if no one ever preaches the good news to them; how will anyone preach the gospel to the world unless they are SENT. Paul is pointing to the fact that the first step in the process of having faith in Jesus is not preaching but sending. Paul confirms his case with quoting what Isaiah prophesied, “As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
God sent His son, Jesus, to save the world. This is the good news of the gospel. Jesus, in his humanity, took on human feet and walked the earth ministering to people. His human feet took him to the cross where they were nailed to help complete God’s redemptive plan. Through Jesus the world has been saved. How beautiful are His feet! No wonder the ones who partner up with God to be sent and preach the good news of salvation have beautiful feet.
As believers, we have been charged to carry the message of the good news to others. All who carry the message have beautiful feet not because they are manicured or dressed up with a toe ring or fancy shoes, but because of the message of the gospel we carry to our neighbors, community and to the ends of the world.
May I ask you again, what do you think of when you hear beautiful feet? My hope is that you are thinking of ways to partner up with God to be sent to preach the gospel of Christ and that your feet will be beautiful in the glory of heaven.
By Lorraine Gerhold