Ephesians 6:15:  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

          Steel-toed military boots were not an option for the soldiers of Paul’s day.  However, they were fitted with a special sandal-boot called a “caliga”.  The object of these special shoes was to eliminate distractions for the soldiers as they engaged in battle or advanced on enemy troops. Designed to equip the fighter with a sense of sure-footedness, it allowed them to be truly ready for battle. 

As a woman who, (in my vainer pre-mommy years), has shoved my size 8 feet into size 7.5 and even 7 shoes, I can tell you that improper footwear is extremely distracting, whether engaged in battle or not!  Even if you’ve ever had a rock in your shoe, you can testify to its distracting annoyance.  It’s no wonder the Roman military prepared special footwear for their men to help maintain focus and increase chances of victory.

As for us, our comfort and readiness come not from properly fitted leather, but from “the gospel of peace.”  The gospel message is one that offers us peace with God and, in doing so, offers confidence and joy in our daily endeavors as well as on the fiercest spiritual battlefronts (Romans 5:1,2). 

Once we know that we have been truly forgiven, completely reconciled to God, and born again as a new creation with a clean slate, we should be less distracted from that which previously entangled us.  After all, if the all-powerful God died for us when we were His enemies, how much more will He fight for us now that we are His children and His friends?  As Paul says, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31).