Traveling Light (Matt 10:8-10)

Matthew 10:8-10  You received without payment; give without payment.  9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts,  10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 

Mark 6:8-9  8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;  9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 


Luke 9:3  3 He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money-- not even an extra tunic. 


Why did Jesus want his disciples to travel unencumbered?  I think he wanted them focused on spreading the news of his kingdom - easier to do with no luggage to drag around.  I think he also wanted them to depend on others to care for them - forcing them into relationship with those they needed to be building relationships with.  And it checked the desire to profit from their work by telling them not to accept payment for their work.  These are things we all need to think about...

• Do we have luggage that is keeping us from sharing Jesus' community?
• Are we in relationship with those who need to learn from us?
• Are we willing to depend on others to support us?
• Are we profiting from Jesus' message and power?  
• Are our motives right?