Shaking Off The Dust
In today’s Gospel (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus sends the 12 in pairs for ministry and tells them that if anyone rejects them, they should leave and shake the dust off their feet.
Jesus says shaking off this dust was to be done as a kind of testimony against them, but I read it today and thought of it as not bearing a grudge.
Sometimes I wonder whether it’s humanly possible to walk away from a rejection without carrying some of it away with you. Saint Paul says you mustn’t let the sun set on your anger, lest the devil get his opportunity (Eph 4:26). Saint Peter says the devil is like a roaring lion looking to devour you (1 Peter 5:8) and that enemy will easily do it through bitterness, hatred, resentment and pride. I think more people than less fall into the trap.
Whether it’s being cut off on the road, being told no for something we wanted or having an unkind word spoken to us, it seems far more comfortable in the short run to post about it on social media or take it to the break room or just keep it in our hearts vowing never to forget it.
And then there’s Jesus who doesn’t just say leave, but “shake it off.” “Shake it off” because grudges hurt the one who hurt us far less that they hurt us.
God is interesting in how He wants us to love Him back, but His love is so great that He doesn’t compel the return. That choice can even remain into eternity if we wish. Freedom is the greatest offering of love. So why should we expect that every person must love us? As Bonnie Raitt would say, “I can’t make you love me if you don’t.”
So we have to shake it off, even though I still don’t think it’s humanly possible. Rejection hurts so much. I think it’s the worst pain I’ve experienced. But I pray the Lord will give us the supernatural strength to overcome our grudges and love others so much that we won’t compel them to respond in kind. I pray He will teach us to stand in our identities in Him so our our hearts don’t rest in the wavering opinions of others.