Traveling Light

Mark 6:7-13

In this season of vacations and traveling, many of us struggle to figure out exactly what we need to pack. We don’t want to be caught short, or with the wrong shoes, or without a raincoat, or with too many shirts…we fret…we worry. We wonder if we really could get away with just the stuff in a backpack that will fit easily in the overhead compartment. We really want to travel light, freed from lugging too much luggage from one end of an airport to another. But then we worry that we jettisoned the wrong stuff—the exact stuff we will need once we get there, wherever “there” is.

Jesus sends the disciples out woefully under-supplied for their first mission. Shoot!—they won’t even NEED the overhead compartment! One tunic, no food, just their sandals…

That seems a bit ridiculous, but that response misses the point…

The main point seems to be trusting providence. As they do their work, they will find more than enough to support them. Providence seems to work most often through the simple mechanic of generosity breeding generosity—if we meet people with openness, genuine care and concern, and a willingness to share; they will respond in kind. 

But there’s still more…

The second point found here is that to travel light is to protect oneself from distraction and attachment that would otherwise hinder one’s ability to be fully present with another. By minimizing the baggage, the disciples will be freer to be wherever it is they are. 

Both lessons are astoundingly important for us within the church at this moment.

First, we tend to be ruled by scarcity. We are overwhelmed by dwindling numbers—smaller congregations, smaller receipts, smaller program, smaller mission, smaller staffs, and so on through one lack into another. Jesus creates scarcity for the disciples in his demands that they leave under equipped. They learn to thrive on what is shared with them. So can we. We will have to learn a new way of being church that no longer depends on our ability to throw money at what we want to see done. We will have to maximize the people present, the offerings they give, and learn to do more with less at the outset. We will also find that if we present ministries and missions correctly, people will willingly join our effort with time, talent, and money to make it happen—case in point, $47500 for bail bonds for misdemeanor, non-violent offenders who could not afford even a minimal bond in St Louis in a single offering at General Assembly--it was all in the presentation--a way to help the Neediest of All. This process is the more experienced form of providence for most human beings—give someone something specific to contribute to, and they will. Then scarcity ceases to be the focus, but instead we find an abundance to carry us through our work. We find we actually had more then we needed when it seemed we had nothing at all.

What we find is that most of the stuff we deem absolutely essential to church work and life really isn’t. What is necessary is our mutuality, interdependence, and generosity. Then a little becomes a lot. We are more nimble, more flexible, and more able to do the ministry before us.

As we let go of what we don’t have, we can more fully utilize what we do have. A congregation can let go of a dream for a large staff, finding within themselves that they have the talent and leaders to do what needs doing. A smaller staff means more money freed for other things. The same is true for a building—a church can find liberation by becoming homeless—facilities cost a bundle to maintain and can drain funds quickly. Letting go of a building can free up mission. The list goes on—the things abandoned may not be losses, but gains. Piling up things leads to protectionism—we have to guard what we have. Not having anything actually fosters security—what an important thought for us. 

Second, as we grow in our connection to one another and find more and more people invited to share what they have, we suddenly find ourselves more attached to each other, finally realizing the deeper truth of being a church—it has nothing to do with the material facilities and resources a church has; IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE A CHURCH HAS! Caring for one another binds us to one another. We see the value intrinsic within one another. We see the beauty of one another. We truly love one another.

And that’s the point, right? To follow Jesus’ commandment—love one another as I have loved you—that’s the bottom line, no?

Almost every single trip I make, I realize I overpacked, even when I did accomplish getting everything into a backpack for the overhead bin. I didn’t need everything; what I needed was far more basic—just the essentials. 

That holds true for every journey, including the journey of faith...