Matthew 10:14 (KJV)
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.
As far as I can tell, the concept of shaking the dust off the feet would have originated in the Jewish animosity toward heathen peoples. It is said that whenever a Jew would re-enter the Promised Land from some foreign field, he would wipe the pagan dust from his feet before crossing its border. It was a sign of disgust toward the pagan culture.
What makes Jesus' instruction so remarkable is that He treats unbelieving Jewish cities (and homes) as though they were pagan territory. The disciples were to leave them as ceremonially and spiritually unclean because they had rejected Jesus Christ and His message.
I went to Bible college in Colorado, where I was told the story—I believe it was about Pastor Ed Nelson (now deceased). In those days, Pastor Nelson pastored a very large Independent Baptist church in Denver, but if I remember the account correctly, he had originally attempted to plant a church in Durango. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the story I was told is that when he moved his family out of Durango, he shook the dust off his feet as he left. If I remember correctly, the town of Durango was later forced to move uphill when the construction of a dam placed part of the city under the newly formed lake.
I've known soul winners and evangelists to have symbolically shaken the dust off their shoes when leaving the home of someone who had rejected Christ and perhaps treated them unkindly. While I've never literally done it, I've considered it a number of times and even contemplated it during the most difficult days of pastoring in Astoria.
I'm not sure, however, that the Lord's intent was to pronounce judgment on those cities and homes as much as to teach the disciples to "let it go." Servants of the Lord will inevitably encounter those who reject them and their witness. If we are to be consistent, Christ-like, and joyful in serving our Saviour, we're going to have to learn to brush off negative encounters and move on until we find more positive ones.
There are certainly many negative things in this world. It is no friend to the Christian, and we all long for the day when God's will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. But we can't hold grudges, retain bitterness, or allow ourselves to be flooded with animosity and disgust.
Much better to shake it off, pray for those who despitefully use you, and be thankful instead for those who are a blessing to you.
#PreachAndMoveOn #RejectedButFaithful #DustOffYourFeet #WitnessWithoutBitterness #ServeWithoutResentment
Rejected? Here's What Jesus Says to Do
Have you ever had to "shake the dust off your feet" and move on after rejection? I'd love to hear your experience. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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