Grace Upon Grace

What’s Your Swagger?

How do you walk?  Could a friend find you in a crowd of people by the way you walk?  What’s your swagger?

Swagger means to walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive manner.  While living in Portland, Steve and I spent ten years working with numerous NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in the fight against human sex trafficking.  In that work, we saw the tale of two swaggers.

Pimps walk with swagger. They have an air about them that connotes importance, power, and control. In turn, pimps study how other people walk. They prey on the vulnerable.  If a young person walks aimlessly with slumped shoulders and head down, they become an easy target.  Their walk reveals a lack of assurance or direction. These unsuspecting victims can easily be manipulated by a cunning predator.

Swagger represents someone who knows where they are going and what they are after.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I too should have a unique walk.  Ephesians 4:1-3 says: …I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The Christian walk is polar opposite of arrogant and aggressive.  However, my walk should attract attention.  My blood line is Jesus Christ.  I am a daughter of the King of kings.  I have a royal inheritance.  Therefore, my walk should reflect that fact.

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.  (Psalm 3:3)

Lord, may You determine my swagger.

Dear Jesus, as your child, I am called to walk in humility, gentleness, patience, love, unity, and peace.  That is a high standard.  I want my swagger to represent You to the world.  May I walk worthy of my calling.  Amen.

Question To Consider:

1. Watch how people walk.  What do you notice?  
2. Does the way you walk give off a certain vibe?
3. What’s your swagger?