When the Apostle Paul described the armor of God in Ephesians 6, he included an unusual piece of equipment: footwear. Specifically, he urged believers to “shoe up [their] feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). At first glance, this might seem an odd metaphor — peace and warfare don’t naturally go hand in hand. But in Paul’s imagery, these gospel shoes were essential. They speak to a believer’s readiness, stability, and mission in a world constantly shifting beneath our feet.

Roman soldiers didn’t wear just any sandals. Their footwear, studded with nails for grip, offered traction on unpredictable terrain. They needed to stand their ground and move quickly without slipping and losing their footing. Paul draws a striking spiritual parallel: our stability in spiritual battle is secured by our footing in the gospel — the good news of peace.

But there’s something deeper embedded in Paul’s words. He doesn’t simply say to wear peace — he says to wear the preparation of the gospel of peace. The Greek word used here, hetoimasia, carries the idea of being made ready, of having a foundation that steadies and prepares. This isn’t just about possessing peace; it’s about being so grounded in it that we’re always poised to share it, live it, and carry it into hostile places.

This leads to an important distinction: there’s a difference between being peaceful and being a peacemaker. One may maintain outer calm by avoiding conflict, but the other rolls up their sleeves and steps into brokenness with a message of reconciliation. Peacemaking, unlike peacekeeping, isn’t about smoothing over differences — it’s about engaging them with courage and compassion.

Jesus himself stated in His sermon on the Mount that those who are peacemakers are blessed and called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). Not peacekeepers, but peacemakers. And interestingly, the Prince of Peace also taught that He came to bring God’s peace, not to bring peace to the earth (Matthew 10:34). God’s Truth brings peace to the soul but also stirs division, precisely because it confronts sin, challenges self-rule, and calls for allegiance to God’s kingdom (Hebrews 4:12).

So, how do we prepare ourselves for this kind of peace work?

First, we root our hearts in the dual nature of the gospel’s peace: peace with God and the peace of God. Romans 5:1 tells us that through justification by faith, we have peace with God — our eternal standing is secure. Philippians 4:7 adds that the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, guards our hearts and minds. One is our reconciled position; the other is our present protection.

Second, we approach each day with intentional readiness. Just as a soldier wouldn’t step onto the battlefield barefoot, neither should we enter our daily lives spiritually unprepared. Paul’s choice of the word “preparation” reminds us that sharing the gospel, living out its values, and confronting brokenness require intentionality. We must be alert to divine appointments and steady when peace costs us something.

The gospel of peace does not guarantee ease; it guarantees truth. And truth, while it heals, also divides. It’s in that tension that we must walk — boots firmly laced, hearts at peace, courage on display.

In today’s cultural climate, the temptation is strong to either avoid confrontation entirely, or to wade into conflict with more heat than light. But gospel boots chart a better way. They ground us in peace so we don’t retreat in fear, and they propel us forward so we don’t stagnate in passivity.

Imagine for a moment two types of people: one wearing cozy slippers, the other laced-up boots. The slippers represent comfort, avoidance, a desire to keep the peace at all costs. The boots, however, signify action, engagement, and a readiness to stand on uncomfortable truth. Peacemakers wear boots. They know that true peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of God’s kingdom breaking into the world.

And it starts with our feet.

The prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 52:7) declares that those whose feet bring God’s good news, who bring peace, are beautiful! Those feet carry the message that reconciles enemies, heals hearts, and transforms communities.

As you finish walking through the full armor of God, consider this your commissioning. You’ve fastened truth, guarded your heart, raised your shield, donned your helmet, and taken up the sword. Now, God asks you to move. The gospel is not meant to make us immobile but to set our feet in motion — toward others, toward broken places, and into the messy work of redemption.

So, lace up. Stand your ground. Walk steadily. And wherever your feet go, be prepared to bring God’s peace.