Urban Action- Shaking too much dust?

At YouthHOPE one of our 4 core values focuses on relationships.  We work in community and through communities to build partnerships of shared learning, trust and responsibility.  Our partners at Urban Action have a unique opportunity to share Christ by building relationships through skate ministry in Chile.  Here is a recent blog post about what God has been teaching them through their relationships with the skate boarding community:

Click here to read more blogs by Urban Action.

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” – Matthew 10:14

Have you ever heard someone quote this passage in a conversation about sharing faith in Jesus?

So, if I give somebody a tract, or tell them the 4 Spiritual laws, or explain the Roman Roads, or just tell them I go to church and they don’t immediately decide to follow Christ – I’m done, right?

I’m pretty sure that what Jesus said to his disciples in the passage was not meant to be applied to every situation of faith sharing until His return.

It’s easy to get frustrated and just say, “Well, I’m shaking the dust off my feet and moving on.”  It’s hard to listen to the arguments of agnostics, atheists, pluralists, etc.  and often very difficult to: “give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect,”.  – 1 Peter 3:15  It’s even harder to continue to invest your time weekly in the lives of skeptics.  But isn’t that what Jesus did everyday.  Even after three years, the very people following and proclaiming him still had doubts:

“Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “ – John 4:8-9

Building relationships takes time.  Jesus spent three years of ups and downs with His friends.  Know matter what the youth we work with here currently think about Jesus we won’t be shaking the dust off our feet until the day we feel led by God to go somewhere new.  We love them and we know He does too!

Have you ever shaken the dust off your feet too soon?

- John Laffoon