Luke 10:5-7 [NKJV]
But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.
As I was continuing to read this passage on ‘sending out the 70’ today, I was intrigued by verse 5 and 6 which talk about saying a blessing of peace upon a house you enter, but if that piece is not received by the owner, it will return to you.
I really like what this has to say by our good God. Essentially, God’s gifts are not magic; they must be something that is ‘received’. In this case the disciples did not have to take ownership of a blessing not being received. In the same way, we can go out and give our testimony, and when it is not received, we don’t have to see that as a failure on our part to communicate. Does that absolve us of the responsibility of being prepared before we go? No, but when we in faithfulness to God have obeyed Him by sharing His good news with others, we don’t have to own the decision by the receiver not to take or hear it.