Have you ever shared your faith and experienced rejection? Or perhaps encountered the unrelenting debater or cynical mocker? Times like this can be frustrating and if we allow them to, they can discourage us from continuing to share our faith again.
Matthew 10: 5-14 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag foryour journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
This scripture tells us that if our message isn't received or heard that we are to "shake the dust from our feet."
Back in Jesus' time, when leaving Gentiles cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their separation from Jewish practices. If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from the Jews who rejected their Messiah. Obviously if we went around literally shaking the dust off our feet, it would be nonsense to those in this generation since that practice is no longer common. So rather than taking it literally, we must look at the heart of what Jesus was saying: move forward. Don't keep knocking on someone's door who doesn't want to answer.
Just by reading this passage, there are two things that are clear: some will accept the message of the Gospel and some will reject it.
Some WILL reject it.
It wasn't you, you didn't smell bad, you aren't doing something wrong necessarily. Some people just wont hear or receive, but we can't let us detract us from the original purpose: Preach the Gospel...and keep on preaching (among all the other things noted in verse 7).
Perhaps you shared your faith, invited someone to church or told them about the Sexual Revolution but didn't get the response you were hoping for...
Figuratively, I encourage you today to shake the dust from your feet. Don't drag around the dust and dirt of past rejections. Shake off all that discouragement and move forward with the great purpose God has given you. Don't ever let a hard-hearted person stop you from moving forward with what God has called you to do.
Besides, who wants to listen to someone with dirty feet anyway?
Don't Settle,
Mel Miller
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