“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
Our son, Luke, works for a Bible camp in Iowa. It is a camp we attend each summer as a family, and one where I have taken students for camp or retreats many times. But this was our son, whom we were dropping off for the summer, to pour into the lives of students and families. It was exciting!
Luke was still young in his faith when he started at the camp, but he had led small groups at Hope and knew the camp culture. So we were fearfully optimistic! To say it transformed his life would be an understatement. It solidified his call to ministry and perhaps his life’s vocation. Even though sending him meant we would not see him as much, we trusted that God would do great things in and through Luke because he faithfully accepted the call to serve.
In today’s passage, Jesus is sending the disciples to bring the Good News to the people of Israel. Unlike the camp attendees who were there to learn about God, the disciples were being sent to share with people who had perhaps heard about God but maybe didn’t know what that meant for them personally. And with the Roman government occupation threatening those who elevated anyone above Caesar, the stakes were high, as was the fear of retribution for even being associated with Jesus. Yet they went! They knew the need to share the Good News far outweighed the potential consequences of being discovered.
We, too, are called to share the Good News! It is right in our mission statement as a church—to reach out to the world around us and share the everlasting love of Jesus Christ. And here is the best part … we are not going into a world where we are in fear for our lives if we are associated with Jesus. Yet the world is desperately seeking a better way, isn’t it?
You don’t need to have it all figured out before you go. You just need to go and trust God will give you the words. That might be at your school, in the office, on the bus, in the grocery store, or anywhere you find yourself. The Good News is worth sharing, and it can be as simple as saying, “Do you know that Jesus loves you?” And then let the conversation take place.
Reflection:
- Why are we often still so nervous about sharing the Good News with others?
- Who have you been wondering about and praying for recently? Look for an opportunity to share Jesus with them TODAY or sometime soon during this season of Lent.