There is a story which is often told about Mohandas Gandhi which has something to teach us.  According to the story, one day Gandhi hopped aboard a train bound for New Delhi and in the process one of his shoes slipped off and fell on the tracks. He was not able to retrieve his shoe because the train was already moving at a rather rapid speed, so Mr. Gandhi calmly took off his other shoe and threw it out the window so that it landed relatively close to the shoe that had fallen on the tracks.  When those with him asked Gandhi why he did this, he replied "Why should I and the poor fellow who finds my other shoe walk around the world with just one shoe?  This way, by throwing out my other shoe, the poor fellow who finds my shoe will also find its mate and have a pair of shoes he can actually use.

   Mohandas Gandhi is well known as the preacher of peace and non-violence. He often taught his followers that the way to real peace is to act in behalf of the less fortunate. He didn't mean to just give money to the unfortunate or to the poor. He, like Jesus, meant much more.  He meant that to be an instrument of peace is to do something concrete in behalf of those who are in need. Not just to think about it or pray about it or simply writing a check and forgetting about it. No, he meant much more. So, for him, losing one shoe, simply meant giving the other as well so that some less fortunate person could have the benefit of both shoes.

    Is there anyone you know of who could benefit by your "lost shoes"?