Attention, Please: Mark 6:10-13
Paying attention to the world around you is vital to obedience to God. As a deep introvert, I love nothing more than to get by myself, spend some time with God over a beautiful piece of walnut, and listen to what He desires to tell me about my life. However, God calls me to more than just one-on-one prayer with Him. He calls me to demonstrate my faith. He calls me to invite others into my life so they can learn whatever He wants to teach others through me. Yesterday’s verses remind me I need others in my life.
The last thing Jesus says to His disciples as He gets ready to send them out is to stay in any house that will receive them and to shake the dust off their feet as they leave any house that won’t receive them. In other words, share God with anyone who is willing to listen and don’t worry about moving along when meeting someone who isn’t interested. The disciples can only give opportunity; they cannot force anyone to receive it.
For those whose focus in the Christian faith is mentoring and disciple-making, today’s passage is one of the linchpin passages. Taking a deep mental dive into this passage was the difference between frustration and joy when making disciples. Jesus tells His disciples there will be people who receive and people who aren’t interested.
As a young person, I believed I could change the world. I believed I would explain math in such a way that people would get it. I believed I could explain God’s ways in such a way that people would get it. I am skilled as a math teacher – every year I have students tell me they’ve never felt capable understanding math but in my class they found success. I am skilled at explaining God’s ways – I have people who routinely seek my opinion on Christian thought. Yet, in the past I grew frustrated because I mistakenly thought I could reach everyone.
I can’t.
God has neither called me nor equipped me to reach everyone. It is both humbling and freeing to make that realization. The way God manifests Himself through me is not for everyone; but it is for some. That’s the power of this set of verses.
The same is true about Jesus’ disciples. It’s been true all along about Jesus, too! Making disciples starts with looking around and seeing who is receptive. To the people that want it, give as much as you can and as much as they’ll take. To the people that don’t, shake off the dust. Don’t be angry about not being able to reach them, just accept they’re not for you, pray that the right person will cross their path, and spend your energy with the people who are receptive as they discover God’s goodness.
Paying attention to the world around you is vital to obedience to God.
