Throw Away the Old Tennis Shoes

August 1 2020

Our parents provided the best life they could for us based on their income. We never
went without food and we had clean clothes to wear and a new house that was full of love.
However, I always felt we had less than my friends. It was probably just my perception. Every
school year I started with two new pairs of jeans and three new shirts. That was it! If I wore out
the knees of my jeans, my mom would sew a big patch over the hole. I couldn’t help it, I had to
shoot marbles and you couldn’t be good unless you got down on your knees.

The fact that we didn’t have a lot of extra money served as a motivation for me. It created
an independence that drove me to work hard just so that I could have the “extra” to share with
others, especially my parents. What I discovered about myself as I got older is that I always held
on to old things even when I purchased new items to replace them. I never wanted to get rid of
anything because it made me feel like I had a lot. I wanted to satisfy that feeling of having more
than just enough. Even if some of it was no longer in fashion or desirable.

Recently I purchased a new pair of running shoes. When I got ready to put them in my
shoe bin, I realized I had to get rid of an old pair. That old feeling came back to me and it was
hard for me even though I have several extra pairs of old shoes. I actually had to say to myself,
“get rid of those shoes, you have some new ones”. I finally made the decision on which ones
would be sacrificed. I felt good about my decision.

Our perceptions of our past can establish strongholds that grow old with us. When we
discover their existence, we must be aggressive about their destruction and our deliverance. They
add no value to our lives and can create misunderstandings and ruin relationships. God is able to
set us free so let’s call upon His great name and He will not fail us.