Shake Off The Dust

Mark 6:11 (NKJV)¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

It had been a lousy day. The kind when situations large and small seem to pile up one by one until you feel like you are going to lose it. You know the kind of day I’m talking about, when nothing seems to go your way, new problems show up and people let you down. The frustrations and worries pile up like an uneven stack of bricks that could topple at any moment.   

I was having one of those days and while I was sitting at a stop light ruminating about the drama in my life, I saw him. 

He had long white frizzy hair and was dressed in what looked like pajama pants, a loose fitting gray shirt and shoes that were well worn and too big for his feet. He shuffled down the sidewalk as if there were concrete in his shoes almost dragging a plastic grocery bag filled with his belongings. His shoulders were hunched over and he walked with is head down.  

I was immediately touched and shaken. I wondered where he was going, where he had been and how his life got to this place?  Life could definitely be worse I thought, feeling ashamed that I had wasted so much energy being negatively focused, self-obsorbed and obsessed with what was wrong in my life instead of counting my blessings. 

I often wonder if Jesus shows up on earth from time to time in different forms to remind us of our blessings. Was that man Jesus? Did he appear briefly as a homeless man to teach us as he did during his time with the disciples? Was Jesus working in my heart at that very moment to call my attention to this homeless man to shake me out of my self-pity?  

The words of Jesus from Mark 6:11 resonate with me. When life is challenging, people reject you and things do not go as planned, move on and shake the dust from beneath your feet. Don’t let the dust build up, cake on and slow you to down keeping you stuck in a negative place. Dust off your feet, let things go, gain perspective and look for all of the things that are going well in your life.  Most of all trust God, he knows what he is doing.  

It was a gentle reminder for me that each and every day is a blessed gift from God.  

Thank you sweet Jesus for the reminder.  I am truly grateful.  

May God’s peace be with you all.  Shake the dust off your feet and dance!

Here is a beautiful song of gratitude to lift your day. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGzhMDsb3sY

Here are the words so you can sing along! 

Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me 
Written by The Easter Brothers

As the world looks upon me, as I struggle along
They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong
In my heart I'm rejoicing, how I wish they could see
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me

There's a roof up above me
I've a good place to sleep
There's food on my table
And shoes on my feet
You gave me your love Lord
And a fine family
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me

Now I know I'm not wealthy, and these clothes, they're not new
I don't have much money, but Lord I have you
And to me that's all that matters, though the world cannot see
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me