Travel Light

“Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.”
Matthew 10:9-10

Suitcase – check, jeans – check, a few tops – check, my favorite hooded sweatshirt – check, socks and underwear for four days – check, toothpaste, deodorant, road trip snacks – check. I don’t often get to travel, but when I do I like to travel light. Once on a family trip the airline employee who checked our single suitcase was amazed that a family of four only needed one. I don’t think I could travel quite as light as Jesus’ disciples were told to travel. Would you or could you travel that light?

Jesus is sending His disciples on a business trip; this week’s passage is part of His instructions to them. Before we get to the travel light part maybe we should look at what they are taking with them. Jesus called them together and the very first thing He does is give them the authority they need to conduct the business they will be doing. He gives them the “authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matthew 10:1). He gives them power. Next, he gives them specific instructions about where they are going to go, who they are going to meet with and what they are going to do (see Matthew10:5-8). Then Jesus tells them He wants to travel light, really light. Would you go on this trip? You can’t take any money, no clothes; no extra shoes and not even a walking staff.

Jesus was sending them on a business trip of faith. The most important thing they are taking with them is the power and authority He had given them. He told them that a worker is worth their keep. They work for Him and He works at this time for the Father, so that means he wants them to rely on God’s provision while they are on this trip. There is also an expectation that the Lord would use the people they would be meeting on the trip to supply some of their need.

Sometimes, when we are planning a trip whether for business or a much needed holiday we spend so much time planning, worrying over every little detail and planning for what we believe could happen that we end up traveling loaded down with too much stuff, to little power and very little faith. Sometimes we live life like that too don’t we?

Let’s plan some, pack less and trust more as we travel through life, let’s travel light.

A Prayer
Father – Your Son tells us to travel light, because His yoke is easy and His burden in light. Jesus wants us to trust Him with all our needs as we travel this life. When we are obedient to His call, He will be faithful in His provision. Help us to plan some, to lay down some of the baggage we carry and to trust more – help us to travel light. Give us what we need to show others that they to can travel lighter when they lay stuff down at the feet of Your Son. Encourage all of us to travel light right into eternity. In the name of Jesus, we pray – Amen.