Jill Johnson
By JILL JOHNSON
This is our family beach week. We have five adults and seven grandchildren, six of whom are girls, and four of those girls are teenagers. Let that sink in for a minute! Seriously, though, it's been a great week.
On the second night of vacation, three of the grandchildren wanted Wayne and me to get up quite early the next morning and go see the sunrise. Of course, we were happy to do so. The kids were walking on the beach quite a bit ahead of Wayne and me.
As they walked, their footprints were all in the soft, wet sand beside the ocean. Laney is 13, Mattie is 12, and Camden is 9, so they all left different sizes of footprints as they walked. I would watch as the waves would come in, and eventually their footprints would disappear. God reminded me of several things as I watched this scenario play out.
First, we all have a different footprint. God made us all unique, but we all have a purpose in this life. My purpose is different from yours, but everyone has a purpose and mission in the family of God. Just because your footprint might physically be smaller doesn't make you any less important. God has a plan, and He wants to use each and every one of us if we just surrender and follow Him.
I think the fact that the waves can erase our footprints just shows that we are not supposed to get the credit for anything we do. It ultimately should be given to the creator of the ocean and the waves. He is the One all our footprints should lead and point to so He alone receives the glory. Maybe He erases our footprints so we cannot compare what we have done to what someone else has done. It should not matter as long as we give the glory to God.
Another thing I thought about with the different sizes of footprints was the different struggles and trials we face. Some footprints of struggles might be a little bigger and a little deeper than someone else's might be. Some footprints of trials might be small and some could be larger. The point is that whatever the struggle or trial we each face, we do not face them alone.
I see God like the ocean. He eventually will erase every single trial and struggle with His waves of mercy and grace. Our job is to make sure we give God the glory in all things. Did you know we all as believers have the same calling to glorify God in all we do? In I Corinthians 10:31 the Bible says to do everything for the glory of God. This means no matter how big or small your footprint in this life might be, or the size of your struggle or trial might be, wherever your footprints might lead, everything we do should be done with the intention of honoring and glorifying God.
Recognize God in everything. Psalms 63:3 says "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." When we give God the glory, we reflect His love to others.
He is the only one worthy of all glory. It's been a great week for us as a family. My takeaway from the beach this week is simple. Walk in the sand, leave a footprint, and allow God to use each one for His glory. He loves us more than we can even comprehend.
Where are your footprints leading you?
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Jill Johnson finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and Georgian. Jill is retired from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
