Mark 6:8-9 He charged 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 put on two tunics.
Yesterday I was at the grocery store when a man approached me. He was willing to give me tools or even his aluminum ladder for gas to get home to North Carolina. He was not asking for a handout but for a deal. I went with him to the gas station and put enough gas in his truck to get home. I have dealt with all kinds of needy people in my life. People who are looking for money for one thing or another, and often they look arrogant even in their need. It often feels like they think the world owes them something, and perhaps because we collectively have let bad things happen to people as kids or in war or otherwise they could even have a case. This man looked apologetic and broken. You could see that he was a proud man in desperate times. An independent character who was feeling dependent.
I don't know what Jesus wanted his disciples to feel when he sent them out to be dependent on those they met like we read in the sending episodes. I do know it goes against our grain to go anywhere knowing we will be completely dependent on the generosity of others. They couldn't even bring a snack or a buck or two for a soda along the way, nothing but the essentials and without the second tunic a night in the desert cold could be brutal. They were expected to find free lodging as well. I have learned that God will provide through many unique and personal examples, but nothing like the trust the disciples were asked to have. Would we be willing to be dependent like that? To have people look at us the way I looked at that man yesterday. I hope he saw the compassion I felt, the sadness for him, but even if he did I'm not sure we even want such compassion. We are such an independent bunch and I'm afraid it even involves our dependence on our Lord.
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