No socks were harmed in the making of this blog. Trust me. They already existed.
“Wait!” I yelled to my middle son running out the back sliding door. “Put on shoes or take off the socks!” To which he almost always responds by taking off his socks and throwing them inside.
I realize the better choice would probably be for him to put on shoes but he loves to be barefoot so I let it happen.
But not sock-footed. These cushiony, tightly fitting pieces of material are not meant for sidewalks, they are meant for shoes or inside the house on floors. Or if you prefer, for running down a slick hallway and sliding in mid-dance. Sidewalks and rough outdoor grounds pull those threads apart quickly and my wallet could use a vacation from sock-purchasing. As I wash all these boy loads of laundry I pull apart the already cleaned socks (yes I know I should probably do this before a wash– my first clues are all the grass fragments that spill out after I pull them back out) I find holes all the time. I sometimes sit there thinking, should I put them back in the drawer? Is there enough decent fabric to squeak out a few more uses? Am I being wasteful of all the good sock that is left if I pitch it?
(Isn’t it funny that all these and many more thoughts take up space in our heads? Tell me I’m not alone.)
Here’s what struck me with holey socks. My boys can certainly put them on again and again even with holes, but ultimately their function is limited. It’s also really annoying when a toe sticks out or you feel the opening in the bottom of the heal. The openings leave you subject to blisters, dirt, rocks cuts and scrapes and they certainly do not warm nearly as well. Why wear them at all? Even if I’m trying to get as much wear out of them as possible, they end up annoying me more than saving a few dollars is worth. I want socks that do their job!
Haggai was a prophet in the Old Testament who brought the temple and worship of God back after the the Israelites had been in captivity by the Babylonians. They had started the job of rebuilding the temple many years before but were stalled out because of politics and pressures from neighboring nations. Even more accurately, they stalled because they were in a bit of a slump. Coming out of captivity left them in a place where they had settled for less than; maybe because they just didn’t know how to turn life back around. Maybe because they were a bit apathetic. God rightly speaks to them through Haggai about their willingness to build beautiful homes, plant crops, eat, drink, cloth themselves and yet none of it is enough for them. He even says,
“You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
They had what you could say was a bad bunch of holey socks. They were covering themselves with their basic needs and even frivolous ones, but they were still uncovered. God could have left them that way. It was their choice to live that holey life.
But he didn’t. He came down, spoke his stern yet loving words through a prophet. Words of wisdom. “Give careful thought to your ways.” This is said multiple times in this small book of the Old Testament. They could no longer afford to be on their own doing whatever they pleased. God’s protection and peace is not something he forces on us, but gives freely when we listen and obey. In the time of Haggai, the people did listen. When they turned back towards God, he stirred up the spirit of leaders and the temple was rebuilt and the people returned to worship. Also, through lots of careful instruction and obedience the Lord promises to bless their efforts because they rid their lives many of their inward-focused ways.
If we feel like God has removed peace and productivity in our life, we need to give careful thought to our ways. Perhaps I’ve not really been walking in the truth. Perhaps, there is wisdom I need to seek from the Lord. Let’s not be mistaken to think God as cruel, but rather, what is he withholding because of my apathy? because of my willingness to settle for less? What is he teaching me?
We each need to know, God does what he does out of love. Like a parent to a child, we serve up certain consequences to curb future unwanted behaviors. Not because I love to see my child in pain. No! Exactly the opposite! Because I want them to avoid the pitfalls that would steal their joy and peace. We, like the Israelites, are precious to the Creator and God of the Universe. When we realize all he has done and all he longs to do for us, there is no time like the present to obey wholeheartedly and quickly. I can’t afford not to.
Now, if you’ll pardon me, I think I have some holey socks to throw away.