Shoe Riots???

Yes, shoe riots!

In a world in which many people don’t even own a pair of shoes, hundreds rioted over the prospect of buying some new, limited edition sneakers.

The release of the new Nike All-Star Collection sneakers at a Florida mall was cancelled Friday, February 24, after riot police were forced to break up fights among the crowd assembled at an Orlando Foot Locker store late Thursday evening.  Hundreds of people were lined up outside the store waiting for the midnight release of the Foamposite One Galaxy shoes featuring glow-in-the-dark soles and a galactic theme.  At around 9:45 PM, the crowd became disorderly and Orange County Sheriff deputies on horseback and dressed in riot gear moved in to clear the crowd.

Although the sneakers were to go on sale at a retail price of $220.00, the crowd grew during the day on Thursday anticipating the release of the shoes.  Extra interest in the shoe event was heightened by the National Basketball Association (NBA) All Star Weekend that is being hosted in Orlando this weekend.  The eruption of the riot motivated Foot Locker to cancel similar shoe release events throughout the state.

Riots over shoes?!?  What does that tell us about our society?

It is evidence that many have misplaced their priorities.  After all, are there not some things in life that are much more important that the newest sneakers?

Jesus urged us to make sure our priorities are placed upon those things that are eternal:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Where is YOUR treasure?

We need to be less concerned about SHOES and most concerned about our WALK (our lives) – whether or not we are in Christ and following Him to Heaven!

To lay up treasures anywhere else is sin, and sin disqualifies us from the eternal treasure (eternal life) that God desires to give (John 3:16) and dooms us to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

But God gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we might be saved (Ephesians 1:7).  In order to accept His offer of salvation and eternal life, one must place his faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

SHOES wear out, lose their value, can be stolen, and are flammable.  Your walk with Christ is what brings eternal life.

Won’t YOU walk with Christ through your trusting obedience?

David A. Sargent, Minister