Day 2947 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Matthew 10:14 NIV

It's a passage we all likely know well enough to understand the context and situation being addressed. A concept that we've all heard. A lesson that we've all been taught. It's a mindset, an outlook, a perspective that we're not simply called to have or asked to try, but it's absolutely something that we must always keep in mind as we walk through this weird and wacky world in which wickedness is only worsening.

But just because it's a crucial aspect in this calling, a necessity in our minds, an ongoing undertaking that must be remembered and practiced nearly every day, how often do we shake the dust?

How often do we allow ourselves to shrug away the ways in which we're treated and addressed by those around us? How often do we practice not allowing the world to steal away our peace? How often do we refuse society the satisfaction of making us feel unwelcome? How often do we actually allow ourselves to walk away from what is an unnecessarily harsh and critical response to our existence or the messages we share?

Do we not tend to allow those around us to impact us in some way? Do we not usually allow the darkness to dim or diminish our joy, at least in some way, at least for some time? Do we not typically find ourselves itching to respond to hatred and ridicule and belittlement with an equal measure in return?

I guess you could say it's just one more symptom of this condition we all carry that's found in being human. It's another instinctual inclination that all of us have, because all of us have been taught the same ways of living life from the same world that is trying so hard to indoctrinate everyone else with this vicious and venomous outlook and understanding.

This place is doing all it can to either eliminate or corrupt the faith of the faithful. It's pushing the boundaries in new ways. It's encouraging hatred toward those who stand upon a moral truth. It's selling hatred as a reasonable response to anyone who says anything that in any way goes against anything that anyone wants to do, say, think, believe and/or enjoy.

And as we've been discussing for probably close to a week now, the Gospel we're called to share and the Savior that entrusted us with the sharing of it are among the most clearly unwelcome topics in our world today. Which is, or should be, absolutely no surprise. The Bible tells us that things will get worse and that, because of the rise of wickedness and the furthering of the moral decay of society, love will grow cold.

I think, as we've discussed in prior posts even about different topics, it's just a matter of us not really expecting to be the generation who experiences the next exile. We don't expect to be the ones that the Bible said would see the final days. We don't expect that our eyes would witness the rise of the end. But to assume that we can't is only forming a stumbling block should the end come in our lifetime.

We don't expect that we'd be the ones rejected, persecuted, ostracized and unwelcomed. We don't expect that this would become the society in which truth is despised and lies are praised. We don't expect that our lives would necessarily feel the heat from the hatred found in humanity growing cold. But friends, I think we need to stop living off of assumptions and begin learning how to do what we've been told we'll need to be able to do.

Now I'm not saying that things can't get better. Not saying that there won't be people who have their eyes opened to the truth and embrace the opportunity to repent and find new hearts made of flesh that replace their old hearts of stone. I firmly believe that God is still reviving the dead, and that many around us will find Him and believe in Him and begin living to serve Him in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

I'm just saying that we shouldn't expect this current societal outlook to change on a large scale. We shouldn't expect that humanity as a whole will get a grip on reality and stop running the wrong direction. We shouldn't expect this world to suddenly embrace truth, simply because truth still calls us out, and humanity simply still hates that with a fiery passion that we don't see in regard to many, if any, other topics.

And it's that fiery hatred for truth and morality and self-control that inspires our expulsion from society. It's that deep distain for reality that inspires much of humanity to detest this message we carry. And it's in that realization that we find all the reason we need to learn how to stop letting things get to us. Because if we continue letting the opinions and the venomous protection of them get to us, it will likely start hindering this mission we're here to fulfill.

In other words, if we keep letting the hatred control us or constrict us, then eventually we'll just stop trying just so we can avoid the heat.

Shaking the dust is more than just an antiquated figure of speech that has a certain intriguing ring to it. It's more than a concept from a bygone era to which we've chosen to cling to out of reverence for its interesting perspective. Shaking the dust is a reminder of the power we've been given. And in this world that's beating everyone into submission, we must remember that we do in fact has some power, some say, some authority.

And we have to start living like we're something other than victims.

But I think that so much of the time, we tend to hold to this limited outlook of our faith. I think that some of us see ourselves as simply in this period of waiting, of treading water, of trying to do a bit of good when and where we can while not bringing too much attention to ourselves. I think that we assume that flying under that radar is a viable option. But it isn't.

We cannot remain neutral in this good fight. We cannot sit idly upon some bench watching only the boldest and bravest contend for the Gospel. We can't allow ourselves to be onlookers or observers only. We cannot accept the adoption of a shallow faith that finds us living as nothing more than attendees at some show where we don't have a voice, a purpose, a message, a mission.

Each of us, as Christians, carry the Name that is above all names. And so, for us to approach this walk with any kind of weakness or weakened resolve is to do this calling a true disservice. Because God does not call us to go only where we're welcomed. He doesn't ask us to share the Gospel only on certain days, in certain ways or with certain people. He does not call us to only fish for those willing to be caught. He calls us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.

Even to those who don't want to hear it. Even to those who will never welcome it. Even to those who will hate us for daring to disrupt their sinful indulgence with reminders of our unavoidable responsibilities. Even to the dark alleys, the smoke-filled bars, the seedy sides of town, the places where it's made clear that our kind are not welcome nor appreciated.

This duty we've been given demands our fullest devotion. And in order to assist us along this arduous journey into the world, God has granted us His Holy Spirit to help lead the way and light the road. And, as part of that tremendous gift, He's granted us the authority to stand firm. He's given us the strength to walk away. He has shown us that it's okay to be hated, and that, should we experience such a response from the places where He sends us, that we have the right to shake the dust as a testimony that we tried.

You see, I think so much of our worldly understanding of this doctrine of making disciples is based on how well we accomplish the task. I think we get lost in trying to determine how well we're doing at sharing the Gospel and turning people to Christ. And one of the only ways we know of in which to determine our success is via numbers. How many people came to your church? How many people prayed the "Sinner's Prayer"? How many baptisms did you perform? How many Bibles did you hand out? How many, how much, how often, how can we prove we're doing what we're called to do?

Friends, we cannot force anyone to hear us. We can't force anyone to listen to us. We can't force anyone to like us, to welcome us, to accept us, to appreciate us, to learn from us, to learn with us. We cannot determine the outcome, only the input. We can only ensure that we're trying. What happens from there is so far out of our hands that we shouldn't try to hold it any longer.

Salvation is solely a personal decision that is only between an individual and God. We cannot save people. We can only tell them of the salvation that they've already been offered in Christ. We can't force anyone to accept it. All we can do is make sure that everyone knows that they can, and why they should. Beyond that, it's between them and God. And that is something that all of us need to remember.

Because, seeing the direction the world is heading and knowing that the Bible says it's only going to get worse, it only stands to reason that we'll likely find more failure than success going forward. Because as the world grows darker, this little light we shine will only grow more annoying and more unwelcome. And so, if we base our accomplishments on only how many we win, we'll only think that we've lost.

This world will never widely embrace the truth of God's Word. Wide is the path and many are those who walk it. You and I are only here to call out to that wide path and the many upon it to make it know that there's another option, another direction, another path. We can't make them turn around. We can only tell them that Christ has granted the forgiveness and offered the atonement that makes turning around possible.

We can't be surprised when many refuse. Because the Bible says they will. Many will ignore, reject, deny, debate and decline. That is, again, between them and God.

You and I are just to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. If they welcome it, wonderful. If they don't, shake the dust. If they listen, great. If they don't, shake the dust. If they appreciate you and your courageous willingness to do what's clearly becoming rarer in this place, fantastic. If they refuse you, hate you, persecute you, shake the dust.

This world loves to show this image of power and authority through its ability to reject, to exclude, to hate. But friends, nothing this world does can change anything God has ordained. The cross proved that. This world cannot make us failures in God's eyes, unless we agree to fail by fearfully failing to uphold His Word and undertake His calling. This world cannot undermine our calling, unless we stop trying out of fear of rejection or ridicule or belittlement or whatever other device the world may try to use to silence this message we carry.

Shake the dust. Don't take it personally. Don't fear the hatred. Don't avoid the persecution. Don't assume you'll be able to find a way to both please God and appease mankind. We won't. And though we may face some truly unnecessary feedback, we must remember that we are only messengers. So if the world hates something, it's the message we carry. And if they hate the message we carry, then they only hate the One who gave it to us.

And if they hate the One who gave us this message, then why would we ever care to try and find a way to please them? Not our job. Our job is to tell the world about Jesus, not force them to accept Him.

Make no mistake, acceptance and widespread appreciation are not in any way guaranteed. In fact, they're gonna be quite rare. Don't try to find a way around that. Embrace it. Be rare. Be bold in your faith. Be willing to be hated. Because in being rejected by the world, we find evidence that we at least tried. The success is not up to us. All that's on us is a willingness to go, to serve, to speak, to proclaim the Name wherever we may go.

And in the places where that Name isn't welcome, don't lose your peace. Don't lose your cool. Don't lose your hope. Just lose the dust.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold