The Dust of Your Rabbi

As I understand it, there is an old Jewish phrase that goes something like this ... "May the dust of your Rabbi be upon you." 

From what I have been told, this old saying is a compliment.  It was an expression meaning that you have been chosen by a Jewish Rabbi as a disciple of his ... an honor that only the best and brightest, the best of the best young men were given.

What were they given?  The opportunity to physically follow and learn from this Rabbi's instruction and teaching, his personal knowledge of God and the Jewish doctrine as he practiced and ministered it daily.

"May his dust be upon you" ... may you walk so closely behind him that your footsteps are placed in his footprints on the dusty roads of Israel ... so that as his feet kicks up the dust on the pathway, it is caught by the air of his movements and as you walk through it, the dust clings to your clothing.

Wherever the Rabbi went, his students followed without question.  Jesus was a Rabbi.  As believers, shouldn't we follow Him wherever He takes us ... without question?  Of course Jesus will only be your Rabbi if you agree to allow Him to teach you according to His words you find in the Scriptures and discover what His plans are for you. 

There is a scripture that is difficult for me to fully understand unless I follow this analogy ... God chose the Hebrew people, the nation of Israel to be His children, chosen out of all the people groups of the earth.  But not all of the Jews would be ... the chosen ones.  Oh, they were, until Jesus came along.  Jesus, the Son of God, brought with Him a new choice ... follow Jesus under grace and mercy, or continue to live under the bondage of the Law.

Matthew 22:14 ... "For many are called, but few are chosen."

"Few are chosen."  This expression that Jesus used more than once was probably proverbial.  The Jews had been called, but few of them had been chosen for eternal life through salvation in Jesus.  The same can be said of the world at large ... the preaching of the Gospel calls all; but few comparatively are chosen ... because they do not come to the master of the feast for a wedding garment, without which none can enter into the celebration.  That's what chapter 22 of Matthew is about.  The wedding feast. 

The Jews refused the call; they could not believe that Jesus was the Son of God, so the Gentiles were called and chosen.  But now, whoever hears the call, and accepts Jesus as Lord ... receives a wedding garment and therefore can attend His wedding feast as a chosen guest.

Jesus personally called a select few men, twelve in number that He called by saying ... "Follow me."  They obeyed and became His "chosen" disciples.  So what did they do?  They followed Jesus on the dusty roads of Israel so closely beside and behind Him, that they were covered in His dust.

Remember ... these twelve men were never asked to be a student of the many Rabbis in Israel.  They were passed over.  They didn't make the cut.  They weren't the best of the best.  They were just like most of us today ... average.  Not the best, but also not the worst.  But Jesus called them anyway to be part of ... the chosen ones. 

So have you.

Today, even by following as close to Jesus as we can ... there is no dust getting on our clothes.  But the phrase ... "May the dust of your Rabbi be upon you" ... can still be a reflection of what is in your heart.  Do you really want to be that close to Jesus and have Him lead and direct your journey through this life?

Well ... don't worry.  While it may be true that physically, Jesus is no longer stirring up dust as He walks with you today, you can still make Him your Rabbi.  Is He dwelling within your heart and soul?  Isn't it still true that He is the Word of God?  Why do you think that God had the words of Jesus written down and printed in a book?

I believe it was done so that we can still be ... taught by Jesus ... our Rabbi.

I really don't care what people think about me.  They may think I'm not quite right, that I'm not normal.  The world would say that what I believe is foolishness.  They might even admit that Jesus once lived ... but He's not around anymore, He's gone. 

Call me naive, lacking good judgment ... but in my heart ... I'm going to believe that Jesus is walking ahead of me ... leading me on the path I'm supposed to take.  In fact, I have heard Him speak to me before.  Now you know I'm not normal, right?

I'm not normal ... and I don't want to be, and most likely never will be.  I have been touched alright ... by Jesus.

Some days ... I even imagine I smell a little dust in the air.     



Comments welcome.