“Travelling Light in God’s Kingdom”

Matthew 10: 7 “As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

Remember when we used to travel? Okay, it wasn’t that long ago, though it might feel like it if you had a tripped planned in the last few months that was cancelled! When we do travel though, most of us have a certain way we like to pack what we’ll need for our trip. Maybe you roll your clothes to fit as much as possible in your suitcase. Maybe you keep everything organized by using Ziploc bags for groups of items. Maybe you throw everything in last minute, hoping you didn’t forget your toothbrush. Maybe your suitcase is so full, you have to sit on it to close it!

When Jesus sent his first followers to live out the kingdom of God on earth by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and seeking the lost, he told them to travel light. No organized suitcase for them! Jesus didn’t want anything holding them back from sharing the good news that God’s kingdom was near. And when people wouldn’t listen, Jesus told them to shake the dust off their feet and move on.

Followers of Jesus today are also sent out to tell the good news. It doesn’t take fancy luggage or a well-packed suitcase to share glimpses of God’s kingdom of love and mercy, joy and hope in the world. There should be nothing holding us back from accepting Jesus’ invitation to live in that kingdom because we are all welcome. Thanks be to God.