"how beautiful are the feet"

At a recent staff meeting, our executive director shared with staff how important the "every day" moments they experience at the Mission really are. To us, it's "ordinary" but the truth is that even seemingly mundane tasks accomplish extraordinary things in the lives of our guests. The floors are clean; the food tastes good; security keeps guests safe... We take on these responsibilities to enable guests to focus on the message of love and hope that we share, not just with our words but also with our lives.

After the meeting, one of our security staff was doing the usual rounds and decided to send me a photo. Her email said, "This morning Mark said he wanted pictures of ordinary things, so can't be more simpler than feet doing rounds during the day or night." When I saw the photo, I smiled but I admit that my eyes also misted up. The role of overnight security can seem tedious, but it's so important to the safety of our guests. In addition to checking cameras, security also provides early morning wake-up for those who have jobs or meetings, and they deal with late-night arrivals, those guests that police bring as a result of domestic violence or having found them homeless and on the streets.

Those feet are not ordinary. They lead the way so that the message can be told, and sometimes, in the watches of the night, when discouragement sets in, security staff are the ones to offer encouragement and provide comfort.

I emailed the staff person back and told her that a verse I was reminded of was from Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Ordinary? Yes, we may be. But when we bring good news and glad tidings, when we proclaim peace and salvation...we are extraordinary. We carry the message of Hope. Let us never falter.