To say that I like cowboy boots would not be the revelation of some long kept secret. The look and feel of boots is great! The sound of them on a wooden floor brings comfort to my heart. The cowboy boot stands as a staple of western wear. They all have a unique design and function. Some boots get duded up pretty nice and only see special nights on the town. Other cowboy boots are designed to get worn throughout a day’s work. Like the boots, Christians also have a special design and function. Christians are purchased to glorify God (I Corinthians 6:20, Ephesians 1:9-12) and serve by doing good works (Ephesians 2:10). However, this is not the only area that there are parallels. Consider the other areas boots and Christianity share similarities.
Have you ever warn a pair of shoes into a barnyard or area with muddy ground. Likely, your shoes and socks ended up soaked and full of mud. Cowboy boots don’t allow that to happen. The leather keeps the moisture and muck out leaving your feet free from the filth. Does the Christian life not have a parallel to this? When a person leaves the world and becomes a Christian he first immerses himself in the waters of baptism. This immersion is not a cleansing of dirt from the flesh, but a cleansing of sin from the soul through contacting the blood of Christ (I Peter 3:21, Romans 6). The Christian purposely slipped himself into the boots of Christ so that he can maintain purity in his life as Christ did in His. Thus, a Christian finds himself free from the filth of the world as long as the boots remain on.
The design of boots keeps the lower legs from being harmed. Often when working, brush, burrs, thorns, rocks, and even rattlesnakes embody the potential hazards to the cowboy. Yet, the tall leather shaft of the boot not only keeps out filth, but it shields from risks of a greater nature. The boots of Christ designed by the shield of Faith, God’s Word, deflect all the fiery darts of wickedness (Ephesians 6:6). With this protection, Christians avoid adultery, fornication, alcohol and drug use, lying, improper worship, gossip, grumbling, homosexuality, greed, and all other forms of sin. Protection only exists with the boots on (John 8:31-32).
Why do cowboy boots have high heels? Not only does the cowboy need to get into the saddle quickly, he needs to be able to get out of the saddle quickly. The heel of his boot keeps him from getting hung up in the stirrup. Consider a cowboy whose foot slips through the stirrup as he falls from his horse in rough terrain or a rough ride. Without the proper boot, a cowboy may be dragged to his death because his foot won’t let free of the stirrup. The heel of the boots of Christ represent a properly trained conscience (I Peter 3:16). It is a conscience that catches the individual before he slides and gets hung up by temptation. It enables the Christian to flee and escape danger. The boots of Christ must be on to avoid a terrible death.
Do you know why the cowboy boot displays a narrowed forefoot? This design enables the cowboy to easily fit his foot into the stirrups of his saddle. When a cowboy rides he sits in his working position. Most folks ride for entertainment or leisure these days. The cowboy’s job supports itself from the back of a horse. It all starts with being able to fit into the saddle well. It’s not much easier to fit a camel through the eye of the needle then to fit a wide ended boot through the stirrup of a cowboy’s saddle. A cowboy who cannot get into the saddle may find himself in the way of destruction. People of the world try all the broad roads of human behavior to get to God. Yet, Christ makes it clear that only the narrow way takes a man to life (Matthew 7:13-14). The narrow way succeeds because it is God’s design. The boots of Christ must be on for the Christian to properly fit into their position in the kingdom of Christ.
Yes, Christians have similarities with Cowboy boots. They clothe themselves in Christ (Galatians 3:28) so they can stay pure, have protection, avoid a terrible death, and fit properly into the kingdom of God. This article states over and over the boots of Christ need to be kept on. Let it be said of the Christian what is said of the cowboy, “Cowboys sleep with their boots on”. Always be prepared (Ephesians 6:15), but remember this… by goofy human wisdom, in Tulsa, Oklahoma it is illegal to sleep with your boots on.