As a child, each summer I packed my denim duffle bag to spend a week at my grandparents’ house. This wasn’t like a gym bag or a carry-on. It was closer in size to a serviceman’s seabag. I could stuff eight pairs of shoes and two outfits per day in that thing, along with a jacket (because what if we got a freak cold spell in Dallas in July), half my book collection and every stuffed animal I owned. What I could not do was carry it through an airport because it weighed as much as I did. In fact, I might be the reason for weight limits on luggage. Since then, I’ve learned the value of packing light.
When Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, He instructed them to “take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.” Mark 6:8
I can’t help but wonder if this directive made the disciples squirm. Many of us would feel unprepared heading out with so little. We want to pack for every contingency. I rarely have need of an evening gown and can’t recall even once needing two pairs of underwear per day, but every time I travel, I wrestle with the part of my brain that reminds me there’s a first time for everything. Perhaps Peter or John wondered how they would buy food or another pair of sandals if the strap on theirs broke.
But Jesus wasn’t careless. He was teaching His followers to depend on Him fully. Traveling light wasn’t just about being weighed down by baggage. It was a lesson in trust. The disciples couldn’t lean on their own supply but had to rely on God’s provision each step of the way. And He did provide through open homes, shared meals, and the kindness of strangers stirred by His Spirit.
What about us? We may not be walking the dusty roads of Galilee, but we drag all our baggage with us daily. Worry, regret, fear, and insecurity weigh us down and keep us from experiencing the light burden He offers in Matthew 11:30. Jesus invites us to lay down our baggage and trust that He will supply what we truly need.
What contingency plans and bags are you lugging today? How might Jesus be asking you to trust Him more fully with your needs. Pray for God to strip away those burdens and replace them with faith in His daily provision.