Being Focused Isn’t Being Rude

Luke 10:4, Greet no one. The orientals of Yeshua’s day would engage in salutations that to us would seem complicated, tedious and time-consuming. Such greetings would involve the asking of many questions about one’s personal life, family and business. This is why Yeshua instructed his disciples whom he had sent out to preach the gospel to greet no one along the way. For them to involve themselves in such lengthy customs would have sidetracked them from the all important mission (Manners and Customs, p. 274). Yeshua isn’t prohibiting here a simple common courtesy of a quick verbal greeting as one is passing by another.

 

3 thoughts on “Being Focused Isn’t Being Rude

  1. It is nearly impossible for others to not be offended because of us not conducting ourselves according to the customs of others. Not saying we shouldn’t be respectful and give regard to customs as is reasonable, but customs, especially in a pluralistic society, makes that nearly impossible for us to act in a way that others will not be offended. Some customs are national, some regional, some are according to ethnicity, some according to family backgrounds, some according to religious affiliation, some are generational, and some according to expectations of others based on personality types. Plus the mores keep changing and there is an overlap of what was and now is or is becoming.

    So, I always say that Messiah is servant to all, but only One is His master, and that’s the heavenly Father. So it ought to be with us. It’s not a formula per se, but it is a principle and it must be lived out by the leading of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh. We must have an attitude of being a servant, but we must get our orders from the Master, by the help of the Ruach. And of course, I know you mean “focused” as in being focused on obeying Him, and not just our own selfish ambition. Because quite likely that would, then. be just plain rude. But who is to judge that?

    Also, how hard is it to simply give a greeting, apologize, explain in a sentence, grant a blessing, pay a compliment, etc. etc.. and move on. Most of the time the problem is with ourselves and our own false guilt and not the other party. And if we are the ones who are easily offended and going to judge and speak ill of another for not giving us more of their time. Shame on us.

    Therefore, we ought to try not to offend and we ought to try to not be offended. We must not judge what we cannot judge and we must no let others judge us in what they cannot judge. There is One ultimate Judge, just as there is On Mediator. Before Him do you stand or fall, and He is able to make us stand, through Messiah Yeshua.

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