Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  Mark 6:1–13
He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honour, except in their home town, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (NRSV)

Reflection
Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, my sister and I plotted and planned for the day we would be able to escape from what we perceived as the very backwater of civilization. It was for us a place of narrow-mindedness, crushing conservatism, and social segregation all neatly tucked away in a lush river valley of rolling green and winding stream. Eventually the day did come when we left, I on a Greyhound bus to Chicago, crossing over the Rock River toward the horizon with fields of tasseled corn left behind.

When Jesus returned to his hometown, he was returning to his place of narrow-mindedness and closed thinking. He brought with him a new reality, but the people who knew him “best” were not open to the new reality of Jesus Christ. The thought of Jesus as prophet and Christ made them scoff. Jesus “marveled at their unbelief,” and he performed few miracles in their presence because it would only have added to their unbelief. Elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus counts “those who are not against us” among those who are for us; the scoffer, however, is counted only among the most impervious to the truth. Jesus tells his disciples that they will not be responsible for the scoffers, “of those, shake off the dust from under your feet.”

Jesus then sends his disciples out from this place, the place of unbelief, sending them out two by two as a testimony and extension of his ministry. They are commissioned to the task and instructed to venture forth without haste, taking no bread or money, and to accept hospitality when and where it is offered without seeking better or more comfortable accommodations.

Where is our place of closed-mindedness? Have we crossed over the river to a new reality? Jesus asks us to go out from the place of unbelief in ourselves and others, taking nothing of our own small-mindedness or selfishness, and to not abide with scoffers but to redouble our effort and remain in the fellowship of believers.

Prayer
Dear God, whenever I find myself in a place of unbelief, send me out to a new reality, one for myself and others. May I shake off the dust of unbelief from under my feet and move forward on my journey of faith and discipleship in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Written by Stanley Smith, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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