One of the characteristics I associate with accomplished writers is the ability to paint in my mind a picture of the scene they are describing, or it could be the turn of an unusual phrase that grabs my attention which is what occurred during the reading of John Ortberg’s God Is Closer Than You Think. Relating well to Ortberg’s telling of the story from Luke as I shared in Martha, Martha, Martha, he also created an “aha moment” when he described the Jewish blessing, “May you always be covered by the dust of your rabbi.” Having never heard this phrase before, I chewed on it for a while, considering not only the spiritual implications, but the personal and professional ones as well.

Not really being a fan of being covered in dust (there’s just something about feeling gritty), there are times when I can embrace the discomfort such as occurs occasionally with Campers on Mission projects, whether it’s in the form of saw dust while trimming pine boards for window frames in Ginn Lodge or the every-nook-and-cranny white coating that arises when an entire team is sanding plaster. Although my thoughts tend to relish the thought of the shower at the end of the day, perhaps my perspective should shift to use the moment instead to remind me that I should be walking so closely to my Savior that I am covered in the Dust of My Rabbi head-to-toe the same way that drywall dust clings to my hair and clothes. Just think about it. Picture the person sanding the walls, covered in white, you cannot approach them without covering yourself too! Are you following me here? The Dust of My Rabbi, Jesus’ love, should also then cover everyone with whom I come in contact.

Rather than using the imagery of drywall dust, perhaps you better relate to Charles Schultz’ fictional Peanuts character of Pig-Pen, the young boy permanently surrounded by a cloud of dust. Commenting on the Jewish blessing, author Jared Wilson states, “I love that saying, and I love the image it provokes. Staying so close to the one you’re following that at the end of the day, you’re covered in the dust he’s kicked up. It reminds me of the Peanuts character, Pig-Pen…I would hope my life of discipleship to Jesus makes me a spiritual Pig-Pen, awash and a’mess in the orbit of the Lord’s dusty trail.”

Lastly, I offer one more application of when a person might relish being covered in dust and that is the occasion when the dust comes from a mentor. In law enforcement, the term rabbi is used for a senior officer who serves as a mentor dispensing reliable and confidential advice. For young (and seasoned) professionals who are following in the footsteps of wise and caring mentors, there should exist a craving to be covered in the Dust of These Rabbis, both their spiritual one and any career leaders they choose to follow.

In closing I offer a final thought related to being covered in dust…it can’t happen in solitude. I must be following another, in community and relationship with someone else, if I desire to be covered in their dust. And I really find a sense of belonging when we are all bloody and dusty after having struggled through a Face Down in the Arena moment. Please feel free to share any stories in the comments below about being covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi and how that covering has changed your life.

References:

Ortberg, J. (2014). God is closer than you think. Zondervan.

Wilson, J. C. (2005, August 2). The dust of your rabbi: A pig-pen discipleship. Shikuza blog. http://shizukagarden.blogspot.com/2005/08/dust-of-your-rabbi-pig-pen.html