4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Numbers 3:40-4:49
Mark 6:1-29

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Mark 6:10-11 (CSB): “He said to them, ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.'”

Reflecting on God’s Word

What would you think of someone who took their weekly paychecks and threw each and every one of them into a trash can? You would think they were nuts, right? They are stupid!

What if they threw only one of them into the trash? Still idiotic, right? The money they make is valuable, and they need to use it wisely. Instead of throwing it away, it needs to be put to good use.

There is a phrase that I’m sure you’ve heard before: “Time is money.”

While we would think that someone who regularly throws their money away is utterly crazy, we often don’t have the same response when someone throws their time away.

The words that Jesus gave His disciples in the verses I have chosen today encourage us to be good stewards of our time. We should use our days, hours, and minutes wisely and not waste them.

Let’s reread Jesus’ instructions, and then I’ll spend a few moments unpacking what He said.

Mark 6:10-11 (CSB): “He said to them, ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.'”

Jesus was sending His disciples to teach and serve. He told them that when they arrived in a village and someone let them stay in their house, they were to stay there. They shouldn’t move from house to house if they got a better opportunity. Their primary task in the village was to teach and serve, not to waste their time looking for better places to stay.

But there was an exception!

They were allowed to move if the people in the village didn’t respond to their message. In fact, they were to shake that town’s dust off their sandals as a sign that they had done all they could and were wiping their hands (feet) clean of the place.

What’s the big idea in Jesus’ words? That we must use our time wisely. We only have so long on this earth until Jesus calls us home. We must be about His business while we are here. If the soil isn’t producing anything, no matter how much seed we plant, we should stop wasting our time and go to another field.

It’s the same principle Jesus gave us in Matthew 7 when He told His listeners not to bother sharing the truths of God’s Word with everyone. Some won’t listen, and they may even harm the messenger. So, don’t bother. It’s a bad use of your time. It’s bad stewardship.

Matthew 7:6 (CSB): “Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”

Scripture repeatedly teaches the principle of good stewardship. We are told to use the resources God has entrusted to us (wealth, time, health, opportunities, etc.) wisely and not waste them.

That means there may be times when we move from one opportunity to another. It’s all about making the most of the time God has entrusted to us. It’s all about His Kingdom. It’s all about good stewardship.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see if you are not stewarding your (His) resources well.
  • Ask God to help you make wise choices so that you are stewarding everything He has entrusted to you in a way that will gain His applause on the day of judgment.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into biblical stewardship, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What is biblical stewardship?”

“What does it mean to shake the dust off your feet?”

Sharing

If this post has been helpful to you or if you think it could help others, please consider tapping one of the social media buttons below to share it on your favorite platform.

____________________

Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)