Stable Footing Dream
I was in Europe with two friends and we were shopping for shoes. One friend found a pair of black shoes that were shaped like a car. They had over-sized wheels on the side, not on the bottom. I told her I didn’t like the wheels because they wouldn’t provide stability. She wasn’t convinced. She wanted them because they would be different.
I found a small pair of shoes with a sturdy heel hoping to draw her away from the black shoes. They were two-toned in color and when I tried them on gold appeared. They weren’t ostentatious.
The other friend tried on the two-toned pair of shoes. She took them off and said she couldn’t afford them and threw what she was eating into the shoe and ruined them. It looked like red salsa. I told her to not be wasteful and store what was left in a rubber container. She said she wouldn’t eat it later and tossed the rest down the sink. I was upset.
Twice my friend went back to look at the black shoes. She still wanted them because they would stand out and be different.
End of dream.
This dream depicts three different people and the lifestyle they choose to make Jesus Christ their Lord. As you read the spiritual lessons from this dream, what kind of “shopper” are you?
Shopping: Are you “shopping” to be an imitator of Christ or the world? “Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many... “Then if anyone tells you, ‘LOOK, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time. ‘So if someone tells you, ‘LOOK...don’t bother to go and LOOK. Or, ‘LOOK...don’t believe it!” Matthew 4:4-26
“Don’t just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I’ll never treat god-names like brand-names. My choice is you, God, first and only.” Psalm 16:4-6 MSG
Shoes: In the Bible shoes represent Peace (Ephesians 6:15). Buying things bring momentary satisfaction and so does having a superficial faith; a go it alone relationship with God. To walk in peace is to trust the one you know. When we believe in Christ and put our trust in him, we walk in peace. To know Christ is to have a firm foundation in God. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3:11
Shopper Number One: The color black identifies there is a negative, spiritual message to pay attention to. She wants something different, to stand out from others, and it doesn’t bother her that they are unstable and would cause her to have a weak foundation.
Wheels: There’s a danger of falling away from the faith. Spiritual progress would be difficult (wheels on the side). It ’s obvious, yet the enemy has blinded her. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
Pride: Her reason for wanting to stand out is one of pride. “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” Proverbs 16:18
She wants to go it alone. Her friend sees the danger she is in, but she won’t take advice, even from someone close to her. “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Ecclesiastes 4:10 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated...” Ecclesiastes 4:12
She can’t make up her mind. We can can’t serve both God and the world. Matthew 6:24. “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. ... I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Romans 7:15-19
Shopper Number Two: The small, simple shoes are a sign of humility.
Sturdy: They are smaller, yet provide more stability. They represent a spiritually solid foundation in Christ. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24
Colors (two-toned): The colors emphasize the difference in her personality from Shopper One. She is a reflection of Christ.
Gold: Her relationship with Christ goes deeper than what's on the surface. “ Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ...Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.” I Corinthians 3:11-12
Shopper Number Three: She was willing to “try on” Christ, but she rejected him (spit in the “heavenly shoes”).
Too expensive: She wasn’t willing to count the cost to live a life for Christ. Luke 14:27 Luke 16:13
Food: The red food was symbolic for the blood of Christ and the message of salvation, which she publicly rejected. “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins...Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and has insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us...It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord...But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.” Hebrews 10:26-39
Rubber container: She was offered a second chance for “salvation” by “sealing” her sins, but she said “no” and discarded the Truth. “I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.” John 12:47-48
Which shopper are you?
Shopper One - the lukewarm Christian.
Shopper Two - the committed Christian.
Shopper Three - one who rejects Christianity.
To the complacent church
“Then write this to the angel of the Church in Laodicea: ‘These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation: I know what you have done and that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were either cold or hot! but since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I intend to spit you out of my mouth! While you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and there is nothing that I need’, you have no eyes to see that you are wretched, pitiable, poverty-stricken, blind and naked. My advice to you is to buy from me that gold which is purified in the furnace so that you may be rich, and white garments to wear so that you may hide the shame of your nakedness, and salve to put on your eyes to make you see. All those whom I love I correct and discipline. Therefore, shake off your complacency and repent. See, I stand knocking at the door. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will go into his house, and dine with him, and he with me. As for the victorious, I will give him the honor of sitting beside me on my throne, just as I myself have won the victory and have taken my seat beside my Father on his throne. Let the listener hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” Revelation 3:14-22 PHILLIPS
The following prayer expresses the desire to trust Christ alone for salvation and eternal life. Invite Jesus into your heart and make him Lord of your life.
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
