True Worth: Beyond Shoes & Clothes
Jan 13, 2015
Dear Sisters in Christ,
As I pen this letter, my heart is filled with gratitude for the blessings we have in our lives. Today, I want to share a personal story about shoes, not as mere footwear but as symbols of our values, and how our faith shines through more than any fashion statement.
You see, I've never been one to wear high heels or fancy shoes. You won't find me donning 4-inch stilettos or pointy-toed pumps. Instead, I choose comfort over style, wearing tennis shoes most days of the year. And in the summer, it's often Crocs. Yes, I confess, I am very practical when it comes to shoes. I've learned that I won't wear them if I'm not comfortable.
I wasn't always so practical, though. As a teenager, I made an effort to dress nicely, but my family's financial situation made it impossible to indulge in expensive name-brand clothes and shoes. So, I learned to live frugally, which has served me well as an adult, a wife, and a mother, trying to manage a household on a budget.
Over the years, I've realized that there are far more important things in life than owning the trendiest clothes or footwear. True worth and confidence come from knowing who we are deep within. I've discovered that real confidence stems from recognizing and living in the knowledge that we are children of God. When you carry this understanding in your heart, it imbues you with a unique inner confidence that no designer label or fashion trend can replicate. It's a confidence that radiates from the inside out.
How we look on the outside pales in comparison to what's within. The most important thing we can "put on" each day is the light of God's love and our identity as His sons and daughters. The key to developing this confidence, for me, lies in prayer and personal scripture study. These are the tools that connect me to God, reinforce my knowledge of my divine heritage, and remind me of His boundless love for all of us.
So, when you see me in my practical shoes, running through life, chasing after my children and fulfilling everyday tasks, know that this is how I choose to navigate this world. I've come to realize that I can love, serve, and uplift others just as effectively in tennis shoes as I could in any designer footwear.
My dear sisters, let us resolve to look beyond the surface when we meet people. Let us see beyond the shoes they wear, the clothes they put on, and recognize what truly matters: their divine nature as children of God. May we lead by example, showing that our faith in God is worth more than all the riches of this world.
In God's love and grace,
Tamara K. Anderson
P.S. "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)
