In the course of his ministry

6) In the course of his ministry

, Silas early adopted Indian dress. He felt that this brought him closer to the people to whom he sought to minister. . . . For the most part, Indian dress was comfortable, because the loose fitting garments allowed the air to circulate. But there was a difficulty with the sandal. It was the toe sandal, a sandal held in place by just one strap around the big toe. It required some getting used to, and in the meantime the skin in the region of his big toes was becoming more tender.
Silas had an obstinate streak in his nature, and for him it was all or nothing. But now he was limping in his sandals. One day saw him near a village with feet so raw and sore, that he could not go another step. He sat on a stump beside the path and began to feel really sorry for himself. He was not a little like Jonah, giving way to self-pity. But then it seemed that God spoke to him. “Did I say anything to you about wearing sandals? Wasn’t my charge to preach the word of God? And now here you are, useless to me.” Silas now began to hurt inside, more than in his feet. Lord please get me out of this, and I’ll get on with giving out your word.”
From then on, though he retained the dress, he discarded the sandals. Far better to be identified as the servant of the Lord than as a friend of Indian people. What was the good of a limping prophet if he could not go where God wanted him or stand where God wanted him to stand? Addressing men with the word of God is far more important than dressing like them. From this time, Silas gave a up his rigid ideas on dress. Through his feet he had learned a big lesson. “How beautiful the fee that carry good tidings, whether they be shod with shoes or sandals.”

Pp 43-44 The White Fox of Andhra by Donald S. Fox Philadelphia: Dorrance and Company 1977