"But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." — Luke 10:10–11 (KJV)
Jesus prepared the seventy for success and failure in the same conversation. Some towns will welcome you. Some won't. And when they don't, here's what you do: shake the dust from your feet and move on.
The dust matters. It's symbolic, but it's also practical. You don't carry their rejection with you. You don't replay the conversation. You don't shrink back and wonder what you did wrong. You acknowledge the reality, let go, and walk toward the next open door.
The Weight of Rejection
Following Jesus costs something. Not everyone celebrates it. Some people in your own family may not understand why you live the way you do. Some coworkers may write off your faith as naive. Some friends may distance themselves when your priorities shift. That's real, and Jesus never pretended otherwise. He told the seventy before they left so the sting wouldn't stop them.
But notice what He didn't say. He didn't say to argue harder. He didn't say to stay and convince. He didn't say their worth depended on the response they received. The kingdom's arrival doesn't depend on anyone's approval. It arrives regardless. The seventy were told to announce it even to the towns that refused them: "the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."
Keep Moving to the Hungry
The temptation is to stay too long in places where the door is closed. To keep investing in people who've made their decision, while people who are actually hungry for what you carry go unnoticed. Jesus gave the seventy permission to leave, and that permission still stands.
Some people around you are desperate for hope and have no idea you carry it. They won't reject you. They'll be relieved you showed up. But you won't find them if you're still standing in front of a closed door, wondering why it won't open.
Where are you spending energy on rejection when someone nearby is waiting for exactly what you have to offer?