All our heroes have clay feet. The older I get the more I realize that is true. We tend to look up to those people who have great influence in our lives. When we are very young, it's our parents.

A bit older, and our primary grade school teachers were important people that we respected and looked up to. Eventually it might be a politician or business leader, or maybe the pastor or someone on a podcast that we listen to.

The closer we get or the more we know, the more likely we are to find out that these men and women all have feet of clay. They have flaws and blind spots just like everyone else. It can be easy to get discouraged when those we look up to fall back down to earth.

The phrase or term “feet of clay” draws from the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had and is recorded in Daniel 2. The statue that was seen in his dream represented the mighty empires of the past. Each empire was a different metal, representing strength and power. But the feet of this statue was a mix of iron and clay.

The clay made the feet brittle and it crumbled when the stone hit it and it collapsed. Now when the phrase “feet of clay” is used about someone, it conveys that they may appear to be strong and mighty but with clay feet, they are vulnerable and will fall like everyone else.

If we place our confidence and assurance in people, we are certain to be disappointed and maybe disillusioned. That is why we must keep our focus on Christ and not on others.

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to run the race with endurance. How? By looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. In 2 Tim 2:8 we are called to remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead! He is our Lord and Savior, and whom we serve.

It’s good to remember that the message of the good news that we share, and have been entrusted with, has been given to us by Jesus. Peter says in 1 Per 1:19 that Jesus is the only perfect one, without spot or blemish.

We are called to obey our leaders and submit to their authority (Heb 13:17) for they keep watch over our souls. And scripture tells us that earthly leaders are raised up and put into place by God (Rom 13:1). God is sovereign and His ways are His own.

Our confidence is in Christ, the Sovereign Lord, and that is who gives us assurance and confidence. When others fail us, we must remember to fix our eyes on Christ. When circumstances disappoint, remember that we have a hope that is certain.

Our Lord is steadfast and trustworthy (Heb 6:19), Our ultimate joy is in Christ! (1 Peter 1:8). When times get tough, remember Christ. When you lack joy, remember Christ. He alone is perfectly faithful, and our sure and steady anchor! Praise God!