It is unlikely that any of us remember our first steps as we learnt how to walk. No doubt it caused excitement for your parents until they realised that it would now be harder to keep track of you. As we develop this important life skill, there’s plenty of reverting to crawling or bottom shuffling for it seems easier. Yet if we are to make progress, it will take courage, tears from tumbling, frustration and vital encouragement from others. After that, we’re keen to start running but first we must learn to walk. The physical walk is one thing but there are two other ways of walking to have in mind. One is the way we treat others – do we walk over them or pass by without a second thought for them. Around others, it is best to tread softly and thoughtfully for that is how we can bring the best out of others and it is how we ourselves prefer to be treated. The second one that is equally hard to learn is our spiritual walk – there will be plenty of stumbling with this but we can learn much that will help us to tread softly with others for the human heart is tender soil.
- ‘But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams’ – William Butler Yeats
- ‘A healthy soul is whole and integrated. It is connected to God. A person with a healthy soul is at peace with God, with himself, and with other people’ – John Ortberg
- ‘Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength’ – Saint Francis de Sales
- ‘God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion’ – Desmond Tutu
If we do not learn to walk correctly physically, then it leads to have foot problems. Some of these can be avoided if we change bad habits early on:
- Plantar fasciitis – caused when the thick band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes is strained by exercising on hard surfaces, wearing shoes without proper support, or overstretching your foot.
- Bunions – a bony lump forms when the big toe joint is subjected to years of abnormal pressure eg. Stilettos!
- Stress fractures – small cracks or deep bruising in the bone caused by repetitive force or overuse and Osteoporosis.
- Foot drop – when it becomes difficult to lift the front of the foot, which can cause it to drag on the floor when walking. People with foot drop may raise their thigh more than usual when walking to help clear the foot.
- Blisters and calluses – painful fluid-filled sacs caused by friction and pressure, as many new to running or long walks may discover.
- Calluses and corns – resulting from chronic friction and pressure over a longer period, with poor care of the feet.
None of these are pleasant but some are self-induced leading to unnecessary pain that can become debilitating. And so to look at five ways of spiritual walking to learn (or relearn if necessary) as you tread softly around others:
- Compassion – have sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others
- Kindness – show the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate
- Humility – be genuinely modest with others and affirm them rather than oneself
- Gentleness – demonstrate tolerance with tenderness and be undemanding
- Patience – exercise self-control and wait without becoming annoyed, rather than lashing out and complaining.
If you take these on board, you will be amazed how it will change your relationships with others, even those who have been difficult with you. Add in the graces of forgiveness, thankfulness and love, and your world will change. It has to be intentional, like choosing what clothes you are going to wear:
- ‘Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ – 1 Peter 5:5
- ‘Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’ – Colossians 3:12 – 17
- ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’ – Matthew 7:12
This ‘Golden Rule’ comes direct from the lips of Jesus. One preacher put it into the mnemonic, THINK before you speak:
- Is what you have to say to another person True?
- Is it Helpful?
- Is it Inspiring?
- Is it Necessary?
- Is it Kind?
As you consider your own walk – both physically and spiritually – ask God to show you if any adjustments need to be made. Here’s a song to help that reflection from Matt Redman (sung by Laura Story):
For more reading: https://connect4life.org.uk/c4l-boosters/harvest-of-restoration/