And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:15
Look at your feet. Would you say they are beautiful? I can understand calling a lady, a painting, or a majestic mountain scene beautiful, but feet…? They are just not usually associated with the word beautiful. In 490 BC, the Greeks defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. It was an important victory because it showed the rest of the world that the Persians could actually be defeated in battle. Legend says that Philippides ran from Marathon to Sparta to announce the victory. Because of the distance (over twenty-five miles), when he arrived with the news, he collapsed and died. The modern marathon was born out of that legend and is popular today. While this is a legend, it is highly probable that something like this may have taken place. Before the days of motor vehicles and telecommunications, that is the way word would be taken back to the city to announce the army’s victory. A runner would carry the good news over rugged terrain and through any weather condition to bring the tidings. Upon arriving, his feet would be torn up and bruised from the rocks and the dust. As the people in the town began to tend to his bloodied feet, they had a phrase that translated into something like, “How beautiful are these feet that bring us the good news.”
Beauty can be found in places where some may not see beauty. It can be in a child’s picture drawn out of love for his mother; it can be in an old, wrinkled face in a nursing home; it can be in the love of a dog for its owner. God finds beauty in the feet of those that carry the gospel. Sure, we will get worn out taking the gospel to people who have never heard it or have never accepted it. It will not always be an easy task, but it is a good and important one. If there were no messengers available, how would the people hear the news? God is looking for willing servants who will take the good news of the gospel to the people across the world and to the people across the street. As excited as those messengers must have been to tell the city that they had won, we have a victory to announce that is so much better and more important. We can tell the world that the devil was defeated on Calvary’s cross! No longer must we live in bondage to sin because Jesus won the victory for us. Start working on making your feet beautiful. Take the good news of the gospel to those who need to hear.
Read also: Romans 10:1-15
Quote of the day: "To be a witness means to live in such a way that your life would not make sense if God did not exist.”
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