Dusty Feet

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 

He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” 

So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:7-13)

In today’s world, by applying Mark’s approach to our lives, it would seem we give up on people.  They don’t welcome us, then we leave.  They don’t listen to us, then we testify against them.  That’s the quickest way to alienation and abandonment.  It fosters division.  

How can we preach repentance – a change of heart – when our hearts are closed just because we conclude they won’t listen, for example?  If we are to drive out demons – the unclean spirits – we must first purge them from our own hearts.   In that way we physicians cure ourselves and we are free to heal and cure others.  

Let’s take our walking sticks, follow Jesus on his path, and let the dust cover our feet.  In that way, we will never testify against anyone, and when we look at our own dirty feet, we will remember to drive out our own demons through the practice of love, compassion, tolerance, and understanding.

Deacon David Pierce