"Moses, Moses draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." - Exodus 3: 4-5

Pat Francis, first assistant secretary at the Urban Renewal 2.0 Commission, collects miniature shoes, and so I saw a dainty lace shoe in a thrift store recently and surprised her with it. I love going into thrift stores -- not so much for whatever, but as I browse, I see stories of people's lives. Sometime ago I told the story of my sister Fanny who stopped at a garage sale and saw a framed medical degree from no less a place than the University of Michigan along with an urn bearing the ashes of the departed doctor -- sale price $3!

My late mother Florence Louise Edgecombe Cooper, whom I salute this Mother's Day for her messages of wisdom for life, said that if you want to know a man, look at his shoes. Shoes tell varied stories and it was just days ago Charlie Rose interviewed United States President Barack Obama and every now and then the lights of the camera gleamed in both of their shoes. Also when my late father, Reuben Edward Cooper died, he left his shoebox in good and fitted condition. As children, he cleaned our shoes.

The Good News Bible tells us that one day while Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, he led the flock across the desert and came to Sinai, the holy mountain. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him as a flame coming from the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire but that it was not burning up. "This is strange," he thought: "Why isn't the bush burning up? I will go closer and see."

When the Lord saw that Moses was coming closer, he called to him from the middle of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses!" He answered, "Yes, here I am."

God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." So Moses covered his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, "I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt: I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave drivers. I know all about their sufferings, and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites now live. I have indeed heard the cry of my people, and I see how the Egyptians are oppressing them. Now I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of his country."

But Moses said to God, "I am nobody. How can I go to the King and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" God answered, "I will be with you, and when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain. That will be the proof that I have sent you.

But Moses replied, "When I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors sent me to you, they will ask me, 'What is his name?' So what can I tell them?" God said, "I am who I am. You must tell them: 'The one who is called I AM has sent me to you.'"

Today, the Lord God Almighty is calling for us who are wearing shoes of indifference, to take them off so they will be able to be of service to those who are under heavy yokes. An old Negro Spiritual asks the question, "What kind of shoes are you going to wear?" "Golden shoes -- the shoes of good works, kindness, compassion and forgiveness -- Shoes that will not hurt, on purpose, the feelings of others -- Shoes that will not enter the cul-de-sac of jealousy and hate -- Shoes that will not become boots to kick people around -- Shoes that will not trample and drag into the mud of disdain, the good name of others.

Yes, Lord we will listen to your call and put on shoes of righteousness, peace, love, forgiveness and kindness and justice and go into the highways, byways, alleys, streets and corners to make, not a difference, but the difference.

o E-mail rubyanndarling@yahoo.com, Facebook Ruby Ann Darling or write to P.O. Box SS 19725 Nassau, Bahamas with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's blessings!

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