Today, I stood in the baby section to celebrate Josiah Day. My original plan was to grab a package of diapers, maybe even some wipes (trying to play it safe), but I accidentally went one aisle too far and found myself in the baby shoes/socks aisle. Sigh. There is something about tiny baby socks that make my heart ache something fierce. But before I could turn around to avoid a complete meltdown, these adorable newborn camouflage shoes caught my eye, and I was swooning immediately over them. I can’t even tell you how many times I picked them up, wiped a tear, put them down, wiped another tear, only to pick them back up and wipe away more tears.
Every part of me wanted to buy them and snap a cute picture to post on my Facebook page with an encouraging “put your faith in action” caption underneath. But I couldn’t. Because honestly, every time I buy something boyish due to my belief that God has promised me a son, I get scared. I can’t help but think…
What if I heard Him wrong?
But at the same time, something deep within me kept nudging me to buy the shoes. I kept hearing a whisper say, “Go for it!” And so reluctantly, I hid them underneath the lettuce in my shopping cart and proceeded to the front of the store. I kept telling myself and God all the way to the checkout lane that I couldn’t do this! After all, my reputation is at stake! I don’t want to look like a fool! But that’s when the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego flashed in my mind. In faith, these three men put their reputations on the line when they boldly proclaimed God would save them from the fiery furnace. But in reality, all the pressure wasn’t on those three men as everyone watched and waited for the outcome.
It was on God.
And as I pondered on this even more while waiting for my turn to pay, the story clicked. When we act in faith, based upon something He has written in His word or spoken to our hearts, it may seem like we are risking our reputations, and we are; but it’s really God’s reputation that is the most at stake. And the great thing is this; He loves it! He loves defending His word, His name. In fact, when we take these faith-filled risks, that’s when He can show up and show out. That’s when He can establish His reputation as a miracle-working God who fulfills His promises.
I can’t think of one story written in the Bible in which someone stepped out in faith and failed to receive their miracle. It seems to me those people God uses the most are those who are willing to risk their reputation the most. They aren’t afraid to ask Him to part the Red Sea so that they can walk right through it. They aren’t afraid to build a boat in the middle of the desert when they have never before seen rain. They aren’t afraid to fight their insurmountable circumstances, the giants in their lives, with just a slingshot and a few pebbles. They aren’t afraid to not just put their reputation but also their faith and hope on the line in order to possibly see God’s promises be fulfilled in their lives.
So today, on Josiah Day, I post this picture of these cute and oh-so-adorable camouflage shoes that I proudly proclaim in faith that God will one day fill with the precious tiny toes of a newborn baby boy. But just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said in Daniel 3:18, even if He doesn’t…even if my womb remains empty…I will not regret putting these actions (although scary) behind my words. Because I know that if I don’t take the risk, I might never witness the miracle.
Happy Josiah Day!
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1
For more Josiah Day posts, click on the links below.
It’s Josiah Day
When Having Faith Is Hard
Silly or Not…Here We Go!
Putting the Cart Before the Horse?
Faith in Action
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