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"Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."
(Luke 10:3-12)
Have you ever lost your luggage when traveling? The feeling of being without any changes of clothes, toiletries, and other personal items is enough to put most people in a tizzy, feeling lost and unprepared. Jesus starts His followers on their "mission trip" in Luke 10 with instructions to not take a change of clothes with them! No shirt, no shoes, no service? Well, Jesus tells them to take, "no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals." Why?
Furthermore, I wouldn't ever think of Jesus as unfriendly, so why would he tell them not to greet anybody? In this culture, greeting another would entail a great deal of time. It was a process, often including a meal and other formalities. Everything that Jesus is instructing His disciples to do here is accompanied by a sense of urgency. He tells them to stay in one house so as to not waste time going from one lodging to another or seeking better lodging than what they already have. Just stay and do the work. He wants them to be focused on the task at hand and not distracted by their belongings or lodging or what they will eat.
Remaining in a simple state (simple clothing and a simple lifestyle of eating whatever is given and staying wherever is provided) allowed the followers of Christ to be free of earthly entanglements and preoccupations. This is the challenge of comfort and material possessions in the life of a Christian, for us today as well. These things too quickly take our focus off of the Lord and the calling He has given to us, thus becoming idols.
Is there anything in your life that is holding you back from what you know God has called you to do? The beginning of this new year is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning in your heart and throw that thing away! Whether it be a physical item or an action or a person or a false belief, all that hinders us from following Christ in full obedience is clutter that must be removed.
A.W. Tozer once wrote, "Within the human heart, things have taken over. Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk, stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne."
The task is urgent. People need Christ. Consider what you may need to throw off in order to be less distracted and more focused on the glorious task at hand. Remember: the harvest is plentiful. Why don't we join in as ready, unhindered laborers?
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