Be No Target
What does it take to be ignored?
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” - Luke 10:1-17
Jesus was teaching his disciples how to be invisible.
Don't tae anything of value, he told them. Go in pairs to make sure no one will sneak up on you.
Be totally inconspicuous, a poor traveler with nothing to offer a bandit.
You would think if you were going on a long trip, you would need to take provisions, to have money, food, water. But Jesus sent them out with nothing.
He wanted them to rely on those they met and spoke with, the community of the faith they would invite into their fold.
You don't want to be a target. Let the bandits find someone else to bother. Just go about your business without attracting too much attention, and you will be fine.
This required work. You couldn't just walk for miles and not talk to people, not if you have no water or money or food. You need to engage with folks who can offer you something to eat and drink.
So, the strategy is a good one. Get out there and be a part of the community you want to recruit.
But if they just met people and asked for food, there would be no real encounter. They needed to tell the story, to offer something of value for the favor.
That was the transaction. Let me tell you about Jesus and perhaps you will offer me rest.
Like street entertainers of today, we hear what they have to say and play and we offer something for their trouble.
Maybe that's the way to spread the Word.
Maybe we need to get out there and exchange stories for food and drink.
Do you think people would be interested?
More to come...