Content to Starve

This past Wednesday, my new sweet grandson Will became jaundiced.  The doctors said he wasn't eating enough, not because he wasn't hungry, but because he wasn't willing to work hard enough to eat all that he needed.  He worked just hard enough to get a snack, but not enough to get full.  The doctor said that Will was 'content to starve'.

That same Wednesday night, our pastor preached about working hard to study God's Word.  Then today I read a chapter about working to know God through His Word.

It became clear to me that I've been like Will - content to starve.  The past 18 months I've been gradually starving spiritually.  I have sensed in my spirit that something was missing from my church and my former pastor's sermons.  I knew I wasn't being satisfied spiritually.

I had looked to Sunday School, small group Bible study and personal study for satisfaction.  And there was some satisfaction in those things.  Those things had enough nutritional value to keep me alive.  But like Will's snacking, it wasn't quite enough, because solid preaching is strong meat for the Christian.  'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.'  As the nutritional value in the sermons dwindled, so did the spiritual health of our congregation.

I wonder that it was so easy and effortless for us collectively and individually to starve like that.  In fact, it was only when I decided to start eating again that the pain and effort really showed up.  Sort of like Will.  He was perfectly content in his starving condition.  But his contentment was temporarily disturbed when they took steps to feed him more.  When his foot was pricked for blood tests; when he was laid in the light chamber; when he was awakened from a pleasant sleep to eat; when he had to stay awake to drink extra from a little cup.  These things bothered him and disturbed his peace and quiet.  But they also pulled him out of that downward starving spiral and into growing mode.

Will endured all the discomfort and is eating and growing and thriving.  He just needed more food than he was willing to work for.  And it made him sick.  Someday he'll be thankful for those people who disturbed his comfort these past two days.

I often need more food than I'm willing to work for.  And it makes me sick.  I'm thankful for true friends who have been willing to disturb my comfort for my own sake.  I'm thankful to be receiving the strong meat of solid preaching again.

I'm thankful that God provided the strong meat of solid preaching to others in our congregation who were willing to seek nourishment from other sources.

A Spring in their Step.... or Dust upon their Feet ?

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.   Matt 10:14

Jesus instructed his disciples to shake off the dust from their feet when they left a house or city that would not receive them or their message.  What he meant was this: shake off rejection and move on.  As you're going and telling, don't collect disappointments and rejections and carry them around with you.  They''ll just weigh you down, slow you down, and eventually tie you down.


This still applies to me today.  There are definitely times when I obediently said and taught what God told me to say and teach.  And it was rejected.  Then I agonized that I had messed up in the delivery.  Perhaps it should have been said differently or at a different time.

Maybe these disciples felt that way, too.  Maybe they wondered if they should've said it better or at a better time.  Maybe they wondered why God sent them to that place just to be rejected.  

Jesus knew they would have days like that, so he warned them ahead of time and gave them a symbolic gesture.  Just shake the dust off your feet and move on.  Don't carry the dust of that town to the next town.  Don't carry the misgivings and disappointment of that town to the next town.  Shake it off and move on.

Sometimes people will reject the message because I offend them.  But sometimes people will reject the message because the message offends them.  I can trust the Holy Spirit to wrestle with me when I offended.  If the Holy Spirit isn't wrestling with me, the only obedient response is to shake it off and move on.

From the other angle, when people deliver a message to me, how do I respond?  Do I reject the message and become dust to be shaken off their feet?  Or do I accept the message and become the spring in their step all the way to their next assignment?

Who is Worthy?

When Jesus sent out his disciples to preach the gospel to the Jews, he used the word "worthy" several times.  So who is worthy?

1.  Those who are known to seek after God are considered worthy.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.  Matt 10:11

So when they came to a city or town, did they introduce themselves as disciples of Christ and ask if there might be someone who might be willing to host them?  If so, the local people would likely send them to someone who was known to seek after the things of God.  So in that sense, being "worthy" would mean seeking after God in a forthright, overt, and open manner.  It would also mean that your "walk" matches your "talk";  after all, the locals aren't likely to recommend hypocrites to host visitors.


2.  Those who embrace God's messengers are worthy.

And when ye come into an house, salute it.  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  Matt 10:12-14

Salute means 'to draw to one's self'.  In those days, the salute was a greeting that communicated joy, respect and affection.  It usually included an embrace and friendly kiss.  Jesus instructed his disciples to salute the house immediately.  In other words, reach out to the hosts with an embrace and kiss.  If the salute is returned, the house is worthy, and you can extend peace (harmony and concord) to the household.  However, if the salute is rebuffed, the house is not worthy, and you can keep your harmony and concord to yourself.

An important lesson to keep in mind when witnessing to others:  when a person is openly hostile to you as a disciple of Christ or to the message of Christ, let him be and go your way in peace.


3.  Those who put Christ first are worthy.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold [water] only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.   Matt 10:37-42

If a man can be put off from following God by loved ones or concern for self (taketh not his cross), he is not worthy of Christ.  How much of our resources are consumed soliciting the interest of unworthy people? How much effort is wasted trying to pique the interest of the casual attender?  How much attention do we squander upon people who have very little interest in the things of God?

Yes, we are to share the gospel with every creature - interested or disinterested, worthy or unworthy, open or hostile.  But our peace, harmony, and concord are to be reserved for the worthy by the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ, who also showed this pattern in his earthly ministry.

Jesus Christ preached to the multitudes; His message was available to ALL.  A portion of those multitudes left all and followed him, desiring to know him better.  Twelve of that group that followed him became more than "hearers"; they became "doers" and messengers.  Jesus shared deeper truths with these twelve messengers, such as the meanings of the publicly-taught parables.  Three of the twelve disciples had even closer intimacy with Jesus, being called away unto him at special times such as his transfiguration.

May I remember the pattern taught and shown by Jesus.  Share the gospel with the multitudes.  Share my peace, harmony, and concord with those who are consistently following Jesus.  Mine the Bible for deeper truths with those who have devoted their lives to his work.  Share the special times and trials of my life with those few trusted souls who love Christ more than their own lives.