They Had Nothing

No email blasts, social media, 8-second reels, smartphones, drive-thrus, Ubers, or Amazon deliveries. They had nothing, and they still did it.

Nothing worldly was available—no creature comforts, convenience stores, GPS, Venmo, or Zoom calls. They were commissioned to go out with nothing to assist, support, or spread the word.

They had nothing but a life-altering encounter with a person who turned their world upside down. And that was enough. Profound encounters with Jesus leave us changed, marked, and never the same.

That’s what meeting Jesus does: It changes who we are, the way we think, act, and believe. It transforms our heart, mind, and soul until we can’t help but be different. The change is evident.

That’s exactly what happened with the disciples. After encountering the risen Christ, Jesus gave them a mission to go out and make disciples of all nations and be witnesses to the ends of the earth, teach, heal, and cast out demons. They went out and did it! And yet, they had nothing. Jesus told them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic” (Luke 9:3). They went out with sufficient grace and faith that moves mountains.

I have to pray a lot when asked to go out and share about Jesus and what He has done. I’m not very brave and plenty introverted. But grace covers the gap. Grace is what gives each of us courage to answer the call. Without grace, you wouldn’t be reading this blog.

“Take nothing,” but go out and change the world. We don’t need to be anyone special to be Jesus’ disciple, only a willing heart, because the Lord will supply all else. You, too, can change the world wherever God places you. We don’t need a platform, a podcast, a YouTube channel or degree. The only prerequisite is a heart that loves Jesus from an encounter that forever changed who you are and how you live. When you encounter Jesus and fall in love, you’ll do anything for Him.

We all have a mission. It may not look like preaching to crowds or walking on water—it might mean showing up for your family, praying for a friend, serving at work, or offering kindness where it’s in short supply. Our mission can change over time. Sometimes, we’re called to speak boldly; other times, we’re called to listen quietly. The key isn’t how big the mission, but our willingness to say yes. If you’ve encountered Jesus, then you’ve been entrusted with something worth sharing—however big or small that might be.

So go out—not with everything, but with enough—because Jesus is always enough, and grace is always sufficient.

Where does the Lord want to send you?