Shake The Dust Off Your Feet

And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matt 10:12-14 KJV)

I have not visited many people recently due to the pandemic and stay home - stay safe recommendations. However, following Jesus' instructions, when I do I normally ask a blessing upon the house as I walk up to the door. If I am treated badly then I can still leave in peace knowing that my prayer for peace for that household has come back to bless me.

The reality is that not everyone is going to accept who we are as Christians. Some will be overtly rude; others not quite so in your face; but, more subtly disrespectful. Jesus reminds us that we are to walk away from those who will not listen. We are to walk away shaking the dust off of our feet. 

During my CPE training in seminary one of the goals I had to work on was to walk away. It had become a habit to be a care-taker for a few people who had no intention of helping themselves. The reason I was called to some of these homes was because they were under the impression that as a pastor I must be not judge and accept all things no matter how damaging those things were to themselves and the community. They needed someone to reassure them that they were OK. I had to come to terms with the fact that there were many people who actually needed help in some form or other. There are many people who need and desire to hear that Jesus died for them and that by his blood they are forgiven and reconciled to God our Father. But, my time had been being used up by a few people who were dependent on someone holding their hands and inevitably supporting their stinking thinking. 

We do not have to be in close relationships with those who reject the Word of God. It can be helpful in order to shed some light on them. But, we should also consider that there are over seven billion people in the world; many of them have not heard how much God truly loves them. Spending so much of our time with someone who has become an impediment to sharing the Gospel with those who are willing to hear is very poor stewardship of God's gifts.

There are those who will attempt to make you feel guilty if you do not stay closely connected to those who would impede the coming of the Kingdom. The reality is that sometimes we may need to follow Jesus' instructions and walk away as we shake the dust off of our feet for their sake as well as for the sake of others.

God's Peace - Pr. J.