A few years ago, I was in need of a new pair of running shoes and set off to find the perfect pair. I was in the store trying on different brands, when a gentleman remarked to me that he had the men’s version of the shoes that were on my feet. He said they felt great at first, but soon after made his feet hurt. I thanked him for his input and continued trying on shoes. I heard what he said, but I kept going back to the shoes that felt great. I convinced myself that maybe the men’s shoe was made differently or he just had bad feet and that is why they hurt him.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that what the man in store tried to warn me of was true. Indeed, these shoes were from the devil. They felt great the first few wears and, as if on cue, they began hurting my feet and legs. I was disappointed and couldn’t understand how something could feel great one moment and hurt the next. I remembered the simple warning I was given. I also recalled how I responded with emotion rather than considering his wisdom. He knew firsthand what the result might be for me and my feet, but I was too stubborn to believe him and the consequences were now mine.
How often do we ignore warnings from friends, family and the Holy Spirit? When we respond with emotions rather than wisdom, the outcome can be frustrating. The end result is not what we expected even if it felt right in the beginning.
Fortunately, we can learn from life experiences and all have the ability to be good decision makers. I often learn how to do something right by first doing it wrong. The blessing in that is remembering what didn’t work the first time and not doing it again. If I have learned from my mistake, I can in turn help someone else.
Tami lives in Kannapolis, NC with her husband and 2 dogs. They enjoy the outdoors, good food and good friends.
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