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10,000 Steps

“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”¹

Staying healthy is as easy as staying active. Today, we have access to pedometers, apps, and smartwatches that conveniently track our active time, specifically the number of steps we take each day. Dieticians suggest that we take 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. The other morning, I walked a mile for exercise and only took about 4,000 steps! Because of the uneven terrain, I felt exhausted and couldn’t even think about walking another mile just to meet a healthy quota; but it did get me thinking. Today, we walk for leisure and exercise, but in Jesus’ day, they walked out of necessity, as a primary mode of transportation.

Jesus didn’t just walk to get places though, or even for exercise; he was on a mission to tell the world about God’s Love. Every mile he walked was worth every step, and every person that stopped to listen to his message was blessed beyond their own understanding of who this man really was. We have all heard the refrain: “What would Jesus do?”, but the real question is, “Would I do what Jesus did?” As Christians, we are called to walk in Jesus’ footsteps – to be like Christ. We can’t say that we are living for the Lord if we are not walking “...in the same way in which he walked.” (1 Jn. 2:6) Jesus must have walked more than 10,000 steps a day and his spiritual health was optimal. He obeyed His Father’s commands and strengthened their relationship every day. If I am to follow in the steps of my Savior, then I’d better get to walking! And not just walking but sharing Christ’s message of Salvation with every step I take.

Jesus left an example for us to follow, and although His footsteps might feel big, His steps were perfect. Let us strive for optimal spiritual health and walk 10,000 steps in Jesus’ shoes!

Suggested Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to this earth to teach us your truths and how to walk in your ways. Help me to walk worthy of the steps Jesus took and bring glory to you as I try to follow in His footsteps. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. 1 John 2:6 (ESV).