Years ago, I discovered that the best
running/walking/workout shoe brand for me is Asics.
In fact, whenever I need a new workout shoe, I am
fully confident in ordering Asics in a specific size and
a specific model, knowing that when they arrive,
they will fit perfectly, and they will work well for me
when I exercise. This discovery was made after a lot
of trial and error. Brooks did not work. Saucony also
did not work. Mizuno, too, was not for me. Probably
the most recognizable and popular brand, Nike, also
did not work. In particular, I have always found Nike
to be too narrow—just a bit uncomfortable.
Right now, however, I actually am wearing a pair
of Nike shoes, which is really weird based upon
what I shared above. Truth be told, I wear this pair of
shoes just about every day. This is the only pair of
Nike shoes that I ever liked, in fact, because they
are the only Nikes that ever felt comfortable, so I am
taking advantage of them. I hope they last a while.
Nike was founded as Blue Ribbon Sports, by the
way, back in 1964. It was in 1972 that Blue Ribbon
marketed the first Nike shoe. The rest, as they say,
is history.
The brand name “Nike” derives from a Greek
word that is translated “victory.” I looked closely at
this word in the Greek lexicon. It refers to being
victorious, to overcoming opposition and obstacles,
to vanquishing an enemy, to excelling beyond—or
otherwise outstripping—the competition, or to
conquering significant difficulties.
“Nike” is the word that John uses three times in
1 John 5:4 to describe the power of our faith. It is the
word that Jesus uses in John 16:33 to encourage his
followers by assuring them that he has overcome
the world. It is also the word that Paul uses in
Romans 8:37—with added grammatical flair—when
he describes Christians as being “more than
conquerors.”
This is who we are as people who know Christ.
We are victorious. We are “nike.”
-Ricky
