Matthew
10
The
Twelve Harvest Hands
1 The prayer was
no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and
sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits
and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. 2 This is the
list of the twelve he sent:
Simon (they called him Peter, or "Rock"),
Andrew, his brother,
James, Zebedee's son,
John, his brother,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew, the tax man,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus,
Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).
5 Jesus sent his
twelve harvest hands out with this charge:
"Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place
to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public
enemy. 6 Go to the
lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. 7 Tell them that
the kingdom is here. 8 Bring health
to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You
have been treated generously, so live generously.
9 "Don't
think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. 10 You don't need
a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going
is three meals a day. Travel light.
11 "When you
enter a town or village, don't insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest
place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.
12 "When you
knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. 13 If they welcome
you, be gentle in your conversation. 14 If they don't welcome you, quietly
withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. 15 You can be
sure that on Judgment Day they'll be mighty sorry—but it's no concern of yours
now.
16 "Stay
alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep
running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as
cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.
17 "Don't be
naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your
reputation—just because you believe in me. 18 Don't be upset when they haul you
before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they've done you—and me—a
favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! 19 And don't
worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be
there; 20 the Spirit of
your Father will supply the words.
21 "When
people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that
makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own
family. 22 There is a
great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But
don't quit. Don't cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. 23 It is not
success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you've
run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.
24 "A
student doesn't get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn't make more
money than his boss. 25 Be content—pleased, even—when you,
my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get. If they call me,
the Master, 'Dungface,' what can the workers expect?
26 "Don't be
intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone
will know how things really are. 27 So don't hesitate to go public now.
28 "Don't be
bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There's nothing they can do to
your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire
life—body and soul—in his hands.
Forget About
Yourself
29 "What's
the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens
to it even more than you do. 30 He pays even greater attention to
you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! 31 So don't be
intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.
32 "Stand up
for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in
heaven. 33 If you turn
tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?
34 "Don't
think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut— 35 make a sharp
knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and
mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for
God. 36 Well-meaning
family members can be your worst enemies. 37 If you prefer father or mother over
me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't
deserve me.
38 "If you
don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. 39 If your first
concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you
forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.
40 "We are
intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts
me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who
sent me. 41 Accepting a
messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger.
Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large
work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start
small. 42 Give a cool
cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of
giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a
thing."