Mark 6:8-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
What if? What if we followed this text? What if we treated it as though this gospel reading was the equivalent of finding a few pages out of the “How-to” manual for life?
Indeed, isn’t that what the bible is? Isn’t it common practice for Christians to refer to scripture reading for guidance and direction- both on what to do and how to live, as well as what NOT to do and how NOT to live?
When Jesus sent the disciples out, he was clear that they were to take the minimum number of items.
He wanted the disciples to depend on the hospitality of the people they visited.
He instructed them to not take an extra shirt so that they would rely on God to provide them with lodging at night.
What would it look life for US to live this way? What level of faith would we require to have only the most basic of necessities, confident that through God’s grace, we will be provided for?
And, if we behaved as countless scriptures command- helping the elderly, widowed, orphaned, poor and infirmed — what would the world look like?
And what about this part?
11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”
Here, Jesus tells his disciples not to linger or argue with folks who refuse the message.
Don’t spend time talking to people who won’t listen.
If people won’t listen to what you have to say, don’t bother with them – not even with their dust!
But it doesn’t mean that we just write people off and are done with them because they’ve refused to hear what we have to say the first time we say it. That is the easy answer- but it is not the right one. Because… here is the beauty of the bible— it often seems to contradict itself. And that perceived contradiction is its own gift and blessing to us, because it invites us to really invest our time in the word of God to understand the messages.
There is liberty and grace in letting someone go their own way, rather than trying to force your beliefs on them, and I believe that is what this scripture directs us to do.
However, scripture also tells us in Colossians 4:5-6 how to behave towards those same unbelievers:
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
It is not enough to just tolerate someone who disagrees with you. And we have no right to snub them if we think they aren’t “holy” enough. The Colossians scripture reminds us that need to share our faith with hugs, not headlocks. We need to use Honey and not a hammer.
The Word of God is very specific about how we, as Christians, are to conduct ourselves towards non-Christians.
Our faith may not be accepted by others.
Some may not want to hear the Word of God. If the reject our teachings, it is not our place to condemn them.
And while that means that sometimes we walk away, we do not close the door. We NEVER close the door.
So, there it is.. spelled out plainly.
- Count on God to provide for your needs.
- Share the gospel, but don’t force it on people.
- Though you may have to step away from those who do not want to hear about God, always keep the door open to them.
- Treat people with grace and speak kindly to them.
If we truly embrace that message, and if we did away with all the unnecessary extras- giving our excess to those in need, just imagine how we could be liberated and others could be helped.
While I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not quite ready to give up my internet, smart phone and having more than one pair of pants, I can, and do, try to take to heart the idea that I.. that WE have more than enough—and because we have more than enough, and because we have God’s grace and trust in him, we are able to give generously to others.
Faith in Action:
Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to begin. And, if we really start paying attention to those around us who are less fortunate, we can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer need in our community.
Here are a few ideas for how you demonstrate your trust and faith in God’s provisions, while being generous to others.
- Pick a non-profit or charity of your choice, e.g. a food pantry, women’s shelter, etc. Set up an automatic, recurring donation. It doesn’t have to be a large amount to make a big difference. What could you give up that would allow you to give $10, $20 or even $50/month to a charity without straining your own budget? Try if for a few months and see how easy it is.
- Join me in what I call the “Costco Challenge.” Every time I go to Costco, I pick up items to donate to shelters and food pantries. While non-perishables are the most common donations, I often include a few bags of fresh fruit, too. I can’t speak for all food pantries, but the one I donate to says that they RARELY get fresh fruit. Consider donating toiletries, personal care products, linens and/or socks, which are often needed and welcome.
That’ s it… it’s that easy to get into the habit of giving. Please let me know how it goes in the comments, and share how you feel about these new habits of generosity- has your faith been strengthened in any way?
— Sheli
