Isn’t it weird that Jesus tells us to preach to all creation? Not just all nations or all people, but all creation. Snakes and butterflies, mountains and waterfalls. Really?
Maybe the point is to spend zero time choosing my audience. I should just always be preaching the gospel. I don’t have to consider whether someone is ready to hear it or whether they deserve it or whether this is the person God wanted me to preach to today… or even whether there are any humans around! I can practice my delivery on my house plants. They don’t judge, at least not loudly.
In the next few verses after today’s verse Jesus discusses scenarios of the gospel being preached. He mentions demons, snakes, even microbes in water that would make someone sick. if I preach to all creation, it would include demons and snakes and microbes. Jesus said that even they will obey. God’s power easily overwhelms all these dangers so I don’t need to worry about these things.
Do I trust God enough to preach the gospel to all creation? Do I believe His word is mightier than any danger I might encounter doing so? I think I’m too selective in my audience because I’m afraid of offending someone. That’s a pathetic, self-serving excuse.
Notice Jesus didn’t say, “Convince people of my salvation.” He just said to preach about it. Whether my audience (the snakes, demons, microbes, house plants and some people too) believes or not is totally up to God. I have the easy part. Just keep talking about Jesus and trust God with the rest.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving me the easy part. It turns out to not be so easy for me though. I’m sorry when my own pride gets in the way of my talking about you. Fill me with your Spirit so I can be bold and preach about you to all creation.
CamDevo 