Shake It Off

³ “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money,or even a change of clothes. ⁴ Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. ⁵ And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” (Luke 9:3-5)

We all know that different generations view things, well, differently. Or at least they will have different meanings. For instance, the power vocals of Roger Daltry and the guitar work of Pete Townsend to those from the sixties can only mean the work of  The Who.  Play them today and and many younger generations would say "Oh those are the guys who do the opening songs to CSI."  Whether you are bothered by that might very well be an indicator of the generation you are from.

But not necessarily. I admit that when I hear those opening lines I think more of the show than the group.  Perhaps that's because we have seen a barrage of these shows for over a decade.  CSI, CSI: MIAMI, CSI:NEW YORK ( and of course the lesser known CSI: SIOUX CITY IOWA).  These shows, along with many others, have proven incredibly popular all over the world. 

Why have they proven so popular? I can't answer for everyone, but for me it's the forensics. Each show is built around the idea that there is no perfect crime. The criminal always leaves a little bit of themselves behind. Or they take a little bit of the crime scene with them. And of course this always ends up leading to their downfall.

Of course crime solving isn't that simple.  But there is a lot of truth to the idea that one can't go through somewhere, or someone's life, and not leave a bit of themselves there. And we also have the tendency to take just a bit of others with us when we go. And that can be good as we look back at the wonderful people God has blessed us with in life. It's good to take a bit of them with us. But what about the people who have caused us pain or hurt us? What happens when we take them with us?

I believe this is a part of what Jesus is saying to the disciples (and to us) in the Scripture above. Of course, as with everything Jesus says, there are multiple layers. He is speaking to the urgent nature of sharing the Gospel. Don't waste time! He reminds the disciples that not everyone will be receptive to the Gospel. You can do your best and still be rejected.   

But Jesus also speaks of the importance of not taking the hurt and pain with you. "Wipe The Dust From Your Feet."  Leave it there and go on. Sound harsh? Does it sound as if Jesus is saying "Turn Your back on them.?"  Not really.  It's not so much a course as it is a promise that you need not take the dust of rejection and hurt with you for the rest of your life.

I see a lot of "dusty" people in the world. Maybe their parents rejected them or failed them. They went through a messy divorce and they carry the dust from their broken relationships. They were bullied as a young person and that dust covers them. They are the failed, the hurt, the broken and bruised. They are the people of the dust. They are us. None of us goes through life without some dust. This is a fallen world and people, even those with the best of intentions, can fail us. And we can let the dust follow us and dirty up our self esteem, our relationships, our past, present and future.

Or we can go to Jesus. Do you remember what Jesus does before the "Last Supper?" He kneels down and washes His disciples feet. He cleans off the dust and dirt.  He takes it away in an act of extravagant love. When He stands, the dust is gone. The disciples can walk away clean.

Jesus is still in the business of helping us shake the dust from our feet. He is still washing away the dirt. Have you been carrying the dust and dirt of hurt with you? Has it covered, or at least tainted, everything else in your life? It doesn't have to. If you invite Him, Jesus will come and wash your feet. He will help you shake the dust and dirt away so it doesn't have to follow you any longer.Why not ask Him to come and wash your feet today? Isn't it time you begin to shake off the dust?

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><