Avoiding Discouragement
In Matthew 10:14, when Jesus is giving the disciples intstructions before sending them out, He tells them, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.”
Our pride can lead us to believe that the phrase “shake the dust from your feet” means to give up on someone, write off their salvation, or turn our backs on those who do not receive the gospel, but the Lord Jesus Christ means that verse for us, His disciples. He is telling us not to be discouraged. We must continue to love everyone just as God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior does. If we share the gospel of Jesus Christ once and it is not received, do we give up? Certainly not! We shake the dust off our feet and we try again. We do not preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone, but to everyone who is willing to listen. As Christians, servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shouldn’t be concerned with who is listening or not. We share the gospel of Jesus Christ in truth with love and without compromise. As Jesus said, His sheep who hear His voice will come to Him.
