Beautiful Feet: Romans 10:15
“15) How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”” Romans 10:15
There are few things more glorious than carrying the gospel to the lost. This is especially true in remote or tribal area’s where they have never previously heard to gospel.
I have been privileged several times to be part of God’s team to help carry the gospel to these places. It is not uncommon for village leaders to assemble the whole village to hear the message. The Holy Spirit often works in powerful ways in these settings. We have seen entire villages decide to follow Jesus and invite missionaries to bring Bibles and weekly studies.
Other times we have had villages strongly oppose the gospel. On one trip years ago up the headwaters of the Amazon jungle, we had the Holy Spirit prepare the way by speaking to village leaders with dreams in the night before we arrived. There was a major outpouring of belief in Jesus and the gospel in that village. Our feet were beautiful to them.
In the very next village just the opposite happened. After a brief meeting with the city leaders they opted for fire water, evil spirits and immorality rather than Jesus. They told us to leave and warned us not to return to their village. It remained closed to the gospel for a long time.
It doesn’t matter if it is in Mongolia, India, Haiti, Africa, or South America; the Holy Spirit creates a bond between the messengers and new believers. Where God is working glorious blessings unfold. The great work is often multi-generational and takes years of mentoring and discipleship. It requires long term workers.
Jesus expressed His heart to His disciples in John 4:34-38. They had just returned from a city in Samaria to buy food. They had not made any meaningful connections for the kingdom with anyone. In the meanwhile, Jesus stayed behind and ministered to a Samaritan woman. She went back to the same village and told everyone about Jesus. Soon she was bringing a large crowd in tow toward Jesus.
Listen to what Jesus said to His disciples; “34) Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35) Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36) Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37) For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38) I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” 39) From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”” John 4:34-39 I have no clue what she looked like, but I would include her on the list of those with beautiful feet because her foot prints led people to Jesus.
So what was it like to hang out with Jesus on a typical day? Matthew 9:35-36 tells us. He ministered to people and shared the gospel. It is followed by this command to His disciples; “36) Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37) Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38) Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His Harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus wants His followers to work in the harvest fields. He wants them to minister to the needs of people and share the gospel. He wants them to let their light shine. As Paul said in Ephesians 6:15, He wants His people to shod their feet with the gospel of peace. He wants every Christian to have beautiful feet adorned with the gospel.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global