Three ways in which Augustine developed the metaphor of limping.(1) He saw a figure of the Christian people in Jacob who wrestled with the angel and came away from the encounter both blessed and limping (Gen 32:24-31):Jacob was both blessed and lamed; his withered leg symbolizes bad Christians. Jacob is blessed in those who are living rightly; he limps in those who are living badly. Right now they are both in the one man; distinction and separation will come later, which is what the Church hopes for in the Psalm: Judge me, O God, and discern my cause from a people not holy (Ps 42:1).... Bad people are to be cut off at the end. But right now the Church limps; it puts one foot down firmly, but the other one is weak. Watch the pagans, brothers. Some times they find good Christians, serving God, and they admire them and are drawn and come to believe. Some times they see people living badly, and they say: "Look at those Christians!" Those Christians living badly belong to the hollow of Jacobs thigh that withered when touched. The Lords touch is his hand correcting and giving life. Jacob was in part blessed and in part withered. (Augustine, Sermon 5, 8; PL 38, 59)(2) Come to him and be enlightened. (Ps 33:6) This is said to the Gentiles.... Behold, people came who had been in darkness, people who did not see were enlightened. How did the Gentiles come? They came by eagerly following in faith, by the longing of their hearts, by running out of love. Your feet are your love. Make sure you have two feet. Dont limp. What are your two feet? The two commands of love, of God and of neighbor. On these feet run to God; come to him. He has both exhorted you to run and has himself strewn his light in such a way that you can follow him magnificently and divinely. (En. In Ps 33-2, 10; PL 36, 313-14)(3) "A person who limps on the path goes better than one who runs off the path" (Ser 169, 18; PL 38, 926). "It is better to limp on the path than to walk briskly off the path" (Ser 141, 4; PL 38, 778). "The best is the one who stays on the path and walks briskly there. But one who follows after may have hope even though he limps a little, but does not go off the path or remain behind; he makes progress, even if little by little. We may hope that he will get where he is going, even if somewhat late. (Augustine, Enarr. in Ps 31-2, 4: PL 36, 260)