I’ve been writing reflections for over 25 years.

As I walked across the snowy field at YWAM River City, I reflected on how — after weeks of slick ice — I was finally able to swap my boots for shoes.  I glanced down at what I had chosen to wear, and noticed how dirty the soles looked.  “I sure hope walking through this snow cleans that up.”

I was immediately transported to February 2nd, 2001, when after a similar snow I sent a reflection out to the members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) I led throughout high school.  I share it below for a few reasons:

• I had no idea 25 years ago how God would invite me to serve Him through writing
• It is intriguing to see how much I’ve grown — in both writing and theology — in that time
• I want you to be encouraged that there may be simple things God is doing through you now that have eternal purpose

It is interesting to get back into the mind of teenage Paul — who had no idea what awaited him in the coming decades — and encouraging to see that even back then God had invited me to “Know God and Make Him Known.”

DIRTY SHOES

Paul Granger
February 2nd, 2001

Have you ever noticed how mud can really take away from a nice pair of shoes?  I’ve seen many a shoe go from white to that light brownish color.  It’s sad really.  Of course, some time spent cleaning them will do the trick, but who has time for that?  You have to get some kind of cleaning stuff and, well, is it really worth it?

Oh, but to have that nice white look back…

I was thinking about that recently.  Living in the country, my shoes aren’t white for long.  It’s sad.  This Wednesday I was thinking, “Man, I should clean my shoes.”

Then it happened:  It snowed.

There’s something amazing about snow… if you were to simply rinse the shoe with water, nothing would happen; but walk out into the snow…

I can remember walking inside and taking off my shoes.  I was blinded by the brightness that shone from below me.  “GASP!  They’re white!”  That’s right.  My shoes were white again.  They looked as though I had just bought them.

Maybe it’s the little ice crystals… maybe the temperature… maybe snow really contains bleach.  Regardless, the snow made my shoes look new again.

Then I thought: often, snow is compared to purity, untainted and clean, “white as snow“.  This pure substance had the power to make my dirty shoes new again.

Well, give Jesus a carrot and a hat and call him Frosty.  Think about it:  Jesus is just like that snow.  He’s perfect; untainted and pure.  Does that mean he has the same ability as snow?

Basically.

When something that is dirty, filthy with sin, comes into contact with Jesus, something amazing happens.  All that brown disappears, leaving pure white.

My life is not perfect, but I’ve found that by going to Jesus all my dirt can be taken away.  Jesus has the power to take away all we’ve done, every bad word, every bad action, and leave us spotless.  Isn’t that a relief to know that we don’t have to carry that dirt on us forever?

Thank God for snow and Jesus.