He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Luke 9:3
“They were to travel light. That was simply because the man who travels light travels far and fast. The more a man is cluttered up with material things the more he is shackled to one place. God needs a settled ministry; but He also needs those who will abandon earthly things to adventure for Him.”
William Barclay in The Gospel of Luke (TDSBS; Philadelphia; Westminster Press, 1975) 115.
Are you shackled or settled?
To be shackled is to have debt, outstanding obligations, and binding commitments. To be settled is to have your accounts current, your bills paid, your slate clean.
You can go where God leads. You can move far and fast.
In the Stations of Generosity training yesterday, we used “journey” and “adventure” language, similar to Barclay. People resonated with it and resolved to live differently.
What about you?
The instructions of Jesus aim to help and not hurt us. When we take nothing, our hands are free to hold on to Him with both hands.