“Untied Shoes and the Savior’s Love,” Liahona, Feb. 2023.
Latter-day Saint Voices
Untied Shoes and the Savior’s Love
As I impatiently knelt to tie yet another pair of shoes, the Lord taught me a humbling lesson about His love for us.
For several years, I have worked as a special education teacher for children between the ages of five and eight. My students struggle with many disabilities—from traumatic brain injuries and autism to learning disabilities.
Many of my students lack fine motor skills and are unable to tie their own shoes. I applaud parents who buy shoes for their children with Velcro straps, but I grumble about parents who buy laced shoes for their children.
Illustration by Enya Todd; photograph courtesy of the author
To have properly tied shoes is a safety issue for the children. So, multiple times each day, I can be found kneeling and tying the shoes of my little students. During the school day, this is both time-consuming and inconvenient.
Recently, as I knelt impatiently on the playground to tie yet another pair of shoes, a beautiful thought came to my mind. I pictured the Savior kneeling by His disciples to offer kind service by caring for their feet. Then the Savior’s words came to my mind: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).
I felt the Savior’s love for the little child I was kneeling beside to serve. I also felt the Lord’s love for me. I felt seen and appreciated by Him for the tireless hours I spend each week trying to serve His little, most vulnerable ones.
This sweet experience gave me much-needed peace, strength, and assurance that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. I am grateful for the Lord and His tender mercies in my life. And now I am grateful for daily opportunities to kneel and tie shoes.