“THAT’S A PLAN”
As it says on the bumper sticker, “Junk happens!” (Well—that’s not exactly what it says, but that’s close enough.)
The tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew would have us to know that Jesus had a plan for his disciples. He made the agenda crystal clear from the outset: “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils” (vv. 6-8).
He knew that a plan was necessary, but that it was not sufficient. He knew from his own experience that the road ahead of them was fraught with peril—and it was scary. He gave the disciples pep talks before they went, telling them—not once, not twice, but three times!—not to be afraid (vv. 26, 28, 31).
But it was also clear that, in addition to a plan for the Twelve, Jesus had something else.
He had a strategy.
Jesus’ instructions suggest to us that it is not enough for us to have a plan—a way to anticipate and actuate those things that we want to happen. We had better have a strategy—a way to anticipate and actuate those things that we don’t want to happen: things like rejection, opposition, and persecution. Strategy is how we go about remaining in control when things are out of control.
On the mission field the disciples would be confronted by some truly vicious characters. The strategy was to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (v. 16); the disciples’ only defense was to be their own cunning. (“Wise” here might be better translated as “cunning,” “savvy,” “shrewd”.) And when cunning wasn’t enough, they were simply to run away: “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another” (v. 23). They could expect to be harassed, assaulted, and dragged up and down the courthouse steps: “But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues … ” (v. 17). The strategy was to have neither press releases nor prepared statements: “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.” (vv. 17-19).
It is not enough to plan for those things that we want; we must prepare for those we don’t want. Because even when we are going where the Lord would have us go and doing what the Lord would have us do, junk happens.