Lacked Ye Any Thing?

The Story

Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them power to heal the sick and cast out demons. Then He sent them out two by two to preach in the villages.

And He gave them strange travel instructions. “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.” No walking stick, no bag, no food, no money, not even a spare shirt.

Stay in whatever house welcomes you, He said. If a town won’t receive you, shake the dust off your feet and move on.

So they went. They preached and healed everywhere. And when they came back, they told Jesus everything they had done.

Much later, on the night before He died, Jesus sat at the table with these same men. He reminded them of that trip. “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?”

“And they said, Nothing.”

Reflection