I still remember the first time I customized a brand new pair of sneakers. I can recall the excitement building as I boarded the Green Line trolley in Chestnut Hill and made my way towards Downtown. My destination? City Sports Boston. Upon entering the store, I overlooked everyone present. 

Not a second to lose. Quickly scanning around for the men’s footwear section, white sneakers, target locked. I’d saved up the $115 (plus tax) needed to purchase a crispy, all white pair of Nike Air Force 1 Lows. No need to try them on, just give me a size 10.5.

After completing the transaction, I made my way back to campus. Sure I’d experimented on countless beaters (older, worn out shoes that you don’t care much about) but working on a fresh pair?! No, this was entirely different. In fact, the prospect alone put butterflies in my stomach. Would I ruin them and essentially throw my money and time down the drain?

Template? Check. 
Sneakers? Check.
Preparation and painting materials? Check.

You know what to do and you’ve done this dozens of times before. Prep the shoe. Strip the protective coat with acetone. Ensure that the entire surface is smooth and soft to the touch, clean off any lingering debris, and begin the paint job. 

Part of the trouble with doing something new is getting comfortable with the struggle of being unfamiliar. Am I doing this correctly? The first few strokes of paint WILL look terrible but you gotta keep going. 

Nice, even strokes will add up to a layer/coat. Multiple clean coats is what makes the custom really start to stand out. However it would be dishonest if I said you are not second guessing yourself almost each step of the way. Because I cared about what I was doing and wanted a solid result, I was in agony until I could start to see the results. 

Looking back I’ve come to realize that the key to a great pair of custom sneakers is the foundation phase. If you do a great prep job, it is pretty tough to create a bad custom. As I have taught others how to implement these steps, the preparation phase is what separates the acceptable products from the exceptional ones. 

This whole customization process reminds me of a story told of Christ in the book of Luke. Christ enters the garden, a familiar place to pray, begins to do so and then instructs His disciples to do likewise. 

“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:41-44

Jesus is struggling in the Garden of Gethsemane. The weight of the world is on his shoulders. Our sin weighed him down in that and there were negative physical, mental, and spiritual effects experienced. Verse 44 states that His sweat became like drops of blood.

Struggle is good.
Struggle is beautiful.
Struggle is yet another thread that Christ uses to identify with humanity and draw us closer to the heart of God. 
 

Phil 4:6 NKJV (New King James Version)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.”

 

Phil 4:6 NLV (New Living Version)

“Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need.”

In comparing the two versions of Phil 4:6 I noticed something. My mind had to pause and really break apart the NKJV. There was little to no pause when reading NLV. While one could make an argument for (or against) translations of Scripture, this is not my point. What I am saying is this: as a father, I am sometimes tempted to remove struggle for my children. Often in those moments when I want to take away conflict, the Holy Spirit convicts me that doing so robs me of opportunities to grow. 

In contrasting Christ’s experience in the garden, I lament to refer to customizing sneakers as anything close to “agony.” However, I see a learning opportunity. While Jesus was in agony, what did he do? He prayed more earnestly. He stuck with the task at hand, persevered while acknowledging he would rather not and then ultimately resolved to rely on Divine Aid through prayer. 

Parents tend to agonize over the lives of their children. Students tend to agonize over projects and assessments. Athletes tend to agonize as they get ready for major competitions. As humans we tend to want the results gained from struggle without the struggle. This passage reminded me that struggle can be beautiful. While we endeavor to build things that last, things that have meaning, may we reflect on lessons from the Man in the Garden. 

Gold is refined by subjecting it to extreme temperatures. As a result of this process, the dross and other impurities are burned off and that precious metal is what remains. When Christ returns, Scripture says it will be like a “thief in the night.” As we experience the beautiful struggle that is life, as we agonize over the things that matter, let us remember to direct our petitions heavenward. May the conclusion be that we all are found to be pure gold.