Luke 10:4 “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.”
How much room do you have in your heart this season for Jesus?
When my son flies home from Nashville to Pennsylvania, he typically jams all his belongings into a carry-on. He wants to avoid the time and hassle of baggage claim. His few short years of flying has taught him the importance of “traveling light.”
Jesus, in sending out the seventy-two disciples, warned them to “travel light.” No wallet. No bags. No sandals. (Even Josiah might balk at that much scarcity!) Evidently they would not be able to accomplish the mission if they were carrying excess baggage. But I think Jesus may have been including some other kind of “baggage” when he further instructed them on how to deal with the people’s response to their message….
Jesus told the disciples when they encountered towns that did not welcome them, they were to dust their feet and move on. He knew rejection of the gospel was inevitable and he didn’t want them to be hindered by feelings either of defeat or resentment. The same applies to us today. If our bags are weighed down with attitudes of insecurity and self-consciousness, it will be near-impossible to face rejection. Rather than being able to travel on, the heaviness of negative responses will add unwanted weight to our luggage. Instead of dusting our feet we will more likely sink in the mud.
On the other hand, what if we meet success? What kind of baggage can cause us to get bogged down when “even the demons submit to us?” How about conceit? Self-reliance? Jesus warned his disciples to drop any notions of self-advancement. They were to keep their focus. Rather than succumbing to the fickle assessments of man, they were to humbly rejoice that their names were written in heaven. Pride in our accomplishments—no matter how noble—turns into bulky garments of self-righteousness. Way too heavy for travels that advance His kingdom.
So how does your suitcase look these days? Do you have some excess baggage you want to get rid of? Need to leave some attitudes at the security gate? I’ve been doing some unpacking these days, trying to let my heart prepare him room. Feels pretty good to “travel light.”