Whoa! I’m talking ugly feet!”Here,” the Asian young man said as he guided me to his station.

I eased on the chair. And the hot water in the basin gave off steam while the jets gurgled loudly. I sunk my feet and leaned back. The pedicure was long overdue. A little treat for this chica.

In the midst of the radio blaring and the jets rumbling, the young guy spoke softly. I leaned forward, straining to understand. His accent was so strong and the noise so loud that I had no clue what he was saying to me. I probably gave him the same blank look I got from others when I myself tried to speak English many years ago.

Wanting to be friendly, I nodded with each utterance coming from him. Then I smiled and tossed out a few simple questions. “Where are you from?”

He mumbled something. I had no idea what he said.

I asked something else, but the answer eluded me. So I wondered about him–does he like this kind of job? Did he go to school? Where was his family?

And then the question of all questions-does He know the God of the universe, His son Jesus who forgives all and died for him? That last question soaked my soul with curiosity.

Then the jets stopped and he said, “Yoh blind.Why yoh huhppy?”

“Why am I happy?” I said, “Because I have the love of Jesus in my heart.”

“Who?”

“Did you ever hear about Jesus?” I asked.

“No.”

I pondered on that. And while he massaged my feet, a thought trickled in. In God’s beauty salon, beautiful feet are a must.

“‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” (Romans 10:13-15).

I got nosy and found out all kinds of details about him, including that he spoke Vietnamese. A few weeks later, I walked in with the Bible in his language.

“Here,” I said, “You can read this and find out why even when you’re blind you can have lots of joy. It’s because of Jesus, who loves you so much he wants to know you personally.”

Amigas, for the longest time, I was wasting my money in pedicures because I still had the ugliest feet. That is, until I decided to be a bit bold in my sharing of the Good News.

Father, put in my path opportunities to bring the good news to those who don’t know you. Grant me the courage to tell of your mighty love to those who speak another language, live in a different world and hunger for a way to be happy. In Jesus’ name I ask.

– -Do you have the joy of the Lord that others can see?

– -What keeps you from sharing the love of Christ?

– -How are your feet looking these days?

Janet Perez Eckles jeckles@cfl.rr.comwww.janetperezeckles.com