Covered In Dust

I was recently behind a car with one of the more clever bumper stickers I’ve seen which read: “Do you follow Jesus this close?” Perhaps slightly passive aggressive as all bumper stickers are, it at least had a positive undertone which made me smile. Over two thousand years ago there was a saying that, roughly translated, went: “May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi.” The idea was that as a follower of a Rabbi, you would be walking so closely behind your teacher and so often, that you would be covered in the dust that his feet would kick up. Are you covered in the dust of your Rabbi? Do you follow Jesus that close? 

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’” (John 8:12)

We have been called not just to accept Jesus’ payment for our sins but to worship Him as King and follow Him as servants and disciples. When we follow Jesus we will no longer walk in the darkness of this fallen world; we will have the light that leads to life. But there is a cost to following Jesus.

“But Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.’” (Matthew 8:20)

“‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.’” (John 15:18-19)

Even while Jesus was on earth He was warning people of the cost of following Him. Following Jesus and living the way He instructs, means gaining the world’s hatred. Following Jesus is dirty work if you intend to follow Him close enough to be covered in His dust. Now would be the perfect time to start the monthly reading plan of the Gospels which we have discussed before. The challenge is to read all four gospels this month, one gospel per week, which amounts to 3-5 chapters a day. If you do truly follow Jesus, especially close enough to be covered in His dust, then you should have time to read 3-5 chapters a day of His life and teaching. Will you accept this challenge for the month of July? Do you follow Jesus often enough and close enough to get dirty? Are you covered in the dust of your Rabbi?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed