Shake The Dust Off Your Feet

July 4

(Acts 13:50-51 NIV) “But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. {51} So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.”

(Luke 9:1-6 NIV) ““When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, {2} and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. {3} He told them: "Take nothing for the journey--no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. {4} Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. {5} If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." {6} So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.””

Paul and Barnabas met with a high level of resistance in Pisidian Antioch, and decided to move on, taking the gospel down the road to Iconium. Before they left, they shook the dust off their feet -- a Middle Eastern sign of contempt. Jesus had instructed His disciples to do this if their message was rejected by a city or a group of people. It was a way of saying, “You had your chance to hear the truth, but you refused to listen. The consequences of your stubbornness are on your head, not ours.” It is often difficult to decide whether to tough it out or move on, but this episode demonstrates that when it comes to sharing the gospel, there may indeed be a time to move on to greener pastures. Once someone has heard the gospel, whether or not they accept the truth, they have been evangelized. We are not responsible for the gospel’s success. We are only responsible to share it with love. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day