[P-Marlowe]

Jesus also said to his disciples to go out and preach the word. Take nothing with you but the clothes on your back. If those you preach to does not accept the word, then leave them, shaking the dust off your feet as you go. They will be judged later by the Father. In other words, have nothing to do with them. You can still love and pray for them. But Jesus does not you or anyone else wasting time on those who refuse to believe.

Boy, I'm sure glad that my Christian friends didn't give up on me, but kept preaching and teaching and praying for me until the day I reluctantly surrendered to Christ.

I believe the admonition to kick the dust off your feet is to strangers but not to friends or relatives or neighbors. We are to plant seeds and move on and what happens to those seeds is up to God. When you kick the dust off, you've planted the seeds and sprinkled a little dirt on top. Whether it takes or not is not to be your concern, especially while on a missionary journey.

It appears (in context) to apply only to missionary journeys and not to everyday life. The disciples were to take only the clothes on their backs (and to trust in God for their provisions on that journey).

If you wish to apply this verse to everyday life, then I'd suggest you should divest yourself of all real and personal property before you preach to your neighbor or co-workers or relatives or anyone.

If you take that verse and attempt to apply it to everyone to whom you preach, then I don't think you have the spiritual authority to kick dust off your feet at those to whom you preach unless you own no property other than the clothes on your back.

It either applies to missionary journeys only, or it is a clarion call for all who preach the gospel to take a vow of poverty.

Have you taken that vow? Have you divested yourself of all real and personal property?

[7thson]

I suppose we all have our beliefs and we even fit scripture to fit what we believe. I am going to take what you said and what I believe and discuss it with my priest, see what he says. He's a pretty smart guy and while I do not agree with everything he says, he makes me think and I see things in a different light than before.

Sort of like your post. I do not take that part of scripture to mean just a missionary journey. If so, than plenty of missionaries throughout history has not heeded this part correctly. I take it to mean - whomever you plant the seed with - you do not beat him over the head with it. Jesus is not saying that if the Word is given but not taken then, it is not up to us to constantly harp on the individual about it. Put this together with the Prodigal Son and the master who went out during different times of the day to hire workers. People come to the Word at different times in their lives and grow at different levels and paces.

I try not to preach to anyone. I do look for openings before bringing up Jesus and God to anyone. I am far from a perfect Christian but I thank Jesus and God everyday for giving me a new chance each day to start anew.