Trust

Matthew 10:9-10 - Acquire no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belt; no bag for the journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer is worthy of his food.

This is interesting. The verb that has traditionally been translated as "take" is actually the verb "to acquire." In other words, not only are they to start out without gold, silver or copper, they are also not to receive (acquire) any on the journey. At least not for themselves. The verb is in a reflexive case. So, they can apparently receive food and drink and presumably a place to rest (I think that comes up in the next sentences), but nothing that they can take with them.

So, Jesus has sent the twelve on this journey - a vision quest of sorts - a journey designed to show them that God is indeed trustworthy and will provide for them. And he does. but how do we make sense of these sentences, these instructions to trust, when so many Syrian refugees have died trying to get to safety. How can I address this? Write my representatives? Offer to house some? I missed the scope of the problem when news media called them "migrants." These people are not migrants, they are refugees and we need to accept them as such. I think we are being called to help. When others have to take this journey, the rest of us are called to help in any way we can.

House, send money to orgs helping, churches taking refugees, families, helping those already in our midst.

But, we need to be doing this for all people! Not just the "sexy' ones.
B