Acts 13:44-52
The early church is moving on! The torch has been passed to a new generation. Peter, James, and the other original disciples have retired to their homes in Jerusalem. Newer disciples, like Paul and Barnabas, are carrying the good news farther and farther afield. But like the generation before them, they find that it is not always smooth sailing.
Peter and Barnabas are in Antioch (Link to the Wikipedia page ) where the local Jews are having a hard time with the disciples’ message. The gentiles, however, are much more receptive and for a while it appears as if the missionary effort will be successful. But the Jews are undeterred. They redouble their efforts and before long we find that the gentiles are not nearly as committed as they first appeared.
Long story short: Saul and Barnabas are unceremoniously booted out of town. In response, they “shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium” (Link to Wikipedia page)
Once in a while, we all find ourselves in Paul and Barnabas’ place. Sometimes, our ministry flops. Our words fall flat. No one volunteers to help with setup or breakdown, and no one attends the event we spent so much time planning. All we want to do is shake the dust from our feet in protest and move to somewhere more hospitable. We want to shoulder our resentment, make an ‘in your face’ gesture, and stomp our way to someplace where people respect us.
But marching off in disgust doesn’t have to be our only alternative. Shaking the dust off our feet could mean refusing to carry the pain and frustration of our experience with us. It could mean laying down any resentment over the time and energy spent (wasted?) in our efforts. It could mean shaking off the confusion and sorrow brought on by our poor reception.
I’m not advocating a simple ‘shake it off’, a la Taylor Swift. Rather, I’m suggesting there are times when it is better to simply ‘let go and let God.’
From time-to-time, we all want to shake the dust off our feet and stomp away in disgust. And maybe that’s what Paul and Barnabas did. But I like to think that they were shaking off their disappointment and leaving it behind. I like to think that, by shaking the dust off their shoes, they were metaphorically laying down their sorrows, facing the future, and leaving the past with God.
There’s no need to carry around the breath-clogging dust of failed efforts. Let it go. Lay it down. Shake it off. Move into the future and leave the past in God’s divinely capable hands.
God’s peace to us all,
Pastor Ken.