Getting a Foot up.

What do you wear on your feet? Most of the time I wear steel toed work boots due to working in a manufacturing machine shop. Footwear is important depending on what you are doing. Runners have track or running shoes, mountain climbers wear boots with crampons for ice, fishermen wear rubber boots to protect them from water, and our military personnel wear combat boots made for all aspects of being a soldier. Verse 15 continues our passage with "and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace."

The same is true for the Roman soldier. He had to have footwear that was appropriate for the job set before him as a combatant for the Roman Empire. That empire was vast covering most of what we know of Europe, including much of England, most of North Africa, much of the Middle East and at it height as far east as modern day Iran. Due to the vastness of this empire Rome built one of best road systems that rivals many third world countries in modern times. It covered the empire from east to west, and these roads were used to move the Roman Legions where they were needed. All travel was by ox cart, on horse or in most cases by walking.



As you can see form the map that to move a legion would entail a great deal of walking for the legionnaire, and he would have to have the right shoes for travel not to mention for battle. The Roman soldier wore a shoe or sandal called "Caligae" that was a early precursor to modern combat boots. Caligae were made of leather cut in a shape that allowed them to be lace up around the ankle, with a heavy sole that had iron studs in the bottom for traction.
The iron studs and heavy duty soles not only allowed for better traction, but enabled the caligae to last longer not needing replacement as often as regular sandals. He had to have better traction than his opponent in order to win the battle. The legionnaire had to firmly plant his feet, along with his fellow soldiers, to endure the oncoming charge of the enemy both as a group or in single combat.

We as followers of Christ are told, as part of our armor, to have "your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace." Just as the Roman soldier had to have his boots on and ready for his assignments, so must we. The Gospel of Christ or "Good News" is THE only thing that can bring peace to our lives or our world. A peace not only that we will have eternal salvation and be with Christ and His Father our God, but a peace that is with us in every trial, temptation and event that enters our lives. We must be ready to spread that gospel by every means available, ready to dig in and resist the assault of our enemy, Satan. By having the Gospel of Peace we have sure footing in God's truth as our "ground" to stand as we step into our spiritual battle.

Photo of Caligae from www.legionxxiv.org and map from www.makedonija.info/roman.gif