Making Shoes

We all have been put into a position where we have big shoes to fill. It could be at work, school, a relationship, any situation you can think, it is a daunting task. Those shoes may be massive and seem impossible for your small feet. I know this has happened to me. Many times, I've felt like I have big shoes to fill that I just can't.

But, I realized something recently. We need to stop trying to fill the shoes of others and learn to love the shoes we're in now. We need to realize that we don't have to be just like the people around us. We need to be ourselves. This can be hard, especially when who we are may not be popular or perfect. But this world isn't what matters, what matters is that you love who you are and desire to improve everyday. 

Here's how I see it. We are all cobblers, making our shoes. Everyday we design them a little more, tweak what we have, and make them our own. This isn't an easy task to create the perfect pair of shoes. Sometimes we mess up and have to undo parts of the shoes that we have began. Sometimes, maybe the color is wrong, the size, or we stitched up a spot we shouldn't have. This is really what life is like. We are constantly creating ourselves with every day, every decision we make

Much like a cobbler uses tools to mold shoes, we have tools to
 mold ourselves like the scriptures, prayer, church attendance,
and keeping the commandments.

This world is so focused on who you are and who you were. Very rarely to people see the potential that their fellow man may have. We were each given gifts and talents to be able to become what God knows we can. There is a reason that we are told not to judge. It is because we, as mankind, have a hard time truly seeing the potential in our fellow being. Simple as that. We all have tools and supplies, but are working out the kinks in our design.

We need to look at people and figure out that just because their shoes are different, it doesn't make them more or less than any one of us.

Humility plays a huge part in this. Humility is (at least I think) a very misunderstood attribute. Some people think that humility means that if they accept any compliment in any way they are being prideful. That to be humble, you must be down on yourself. This could not be more wrong. Humility is knowing that you can always improve and knowing that God is greater than you. This doesn't make you any less or more than another person, it make us equals.

A reason many people judge is because sometimes people get smudges on their shoes. They mess up, they fall. They sin. Here's the deal: Next time you start judging someone because of their sins, think about what smudges you have on your shoes. No one is perfect and only our Savior, Jesus Christ, has ever been perfect. Through Him, those smudges can be cleaned off. But everyone has a pair of dirty shoes they are always trying to clean. Because the master Cobbler, our Savior, has done it all, through Him, we our shoes, our souls, can be made clean. 

This is the key: as you go out, remember that every person in the world is in the process of creating and making their pair of shoes. They are all at different stages, but all with the same focus: To create a pair of shoes that fits them perfectly. There is a design that our Father in Heaven has for us, each and every one of us. As we humble ourselves and seek His guidance, then we shall become more like our Savior and be able to reach shoe perfection. 

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Mackenzie Esmond