Shake off the Dust



Acts 13:49-52
49And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.
50But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.
51But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.
52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

One of the attitudes that have mystified me over the years is our ability to take everything personally. If someone doesn’t agree with us, we rise up to defend our stance and things get ugly. We struggle to just agree to disagree and walk away. This is what Paul and Barnabas face in the region around Antioch.

While Paul speaks with the people about the saving work of Jesus he meets up with some push back from the leadership. This is not a new experience for him. In this particular region the leaders actually press charges and use the legal system to drive Paul and Barnabas away. It works! But their words on the way out of town are rather chilling; words they learned from Jesus Himself. Luke records what Jesus teaches His disciples about what to do when we are opposed and it is good counsel.

Luke 10:10-11
10But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11‘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.’

This is tough for us. But just think of the angst you could save yourself if instead of fighting you just turned around and walked away! While I am absolutely certain this is the right thing to do when sharing the Gospel with someone who just doesn’t want to hear it, I believe this practice can work in other situations as well. Choosing not to fight is a strong stance and well worth learning how to do. This time, Paul and Barnabas are spared another night in jail at the least and possible stoning at the worst. It is God’s work to change a heart, not mine. So choosing to walk away is usually the better choice. Let Jesus bear the burden for creating faith and life becomes much simpler. Speak when called to do so and then don’t own the results – positive or negative.

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