Did you know you were designed to run around barefoot? Genesis tells us that originally Adam and Eve were created naked. It wasn’t until after sin that clothes—and eventually shoes—came into being. But when we shed our shoes we see that God’s design is the best.
An incredible 25% of the bones in your body are found in your feet. These bones form three arches; the transverse, medial longitudinal, and lateral longitudinal arches found behind our toes and on the right and left sides of our feet. These arches beat the design of man-made arches because they absorb shock and even change shape to redistribute our weight as it shifts during different activities.
Our arches, together with a set of tendons, also act as springs. The tendons wrap around your toe joints and when we take a step forward our toes curl, shortening our feet by half an inch! This pulls the bones in your foot into a locking position. This “windlass” design allows the bones to relax when your foot falls forward and then tighten up to propel us further.
This specific arch design is uniquely human—you won’t find it anywhere else! Why? Because humans were designed for bipedal walking and our feet have been beautifully designed for that exact purpose.
But then we stick shoes on our feet. Shoes immobilize the foot, stopping the complex system God designed. Arch supports, high heels, thick soles, and even the curve at the toe of your shoe all force your foot into an unnatural position, disabling your windlass mechanism. And, of course, the dark, moist environment found inside a shoe is the perfect environment for nasty fungi and athlete’s foot.
Of course, in many places, going without some kind of foot protection has its hazards. Thorns, stones, or ants might threaten those in rural areas while broken glass, hot pavement, or a clumsy dancer might be dangerous in more urban environments. Shoes are also a very nice luxury in the winter! But it’s fun to just stop and realize that God’s design is amazing wherever you look—from the soles of your feet to the top of your head – We’re wonderfully made.
I’m David Rives…Truly the heavens declare the glory of God.