They were off on a mission, but without any resources except the commission of Jesus.  They were to go, two by two, into a town and announce Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 10:1-4).  They would not have been recognised as rabbis and invited into the synagogues, so they would have to be based in somebody's house.  But which home should they go to?              
                                                                                                                                                        
They were to test the heart of the householder by saying ‘Shalom’ which means more than ‘peace’.  It means, ‘May all that is good from God come to you and to your household!’  If the man said, ‘Thank you, I want all of God's goodness to be with me and my family’, then he would be receptive to hearing about Jesus.  That was the place to stay.

A spiritually hungry man will want God's peace; and, hearing about Jesus, would recognise that He was the answer to his need and the purpose for his life.  Jesus said that a bond of friendship would develop as the disciples opened up the truth - such people are glad to accommodate and feed God's messengers.  It would never make the evangelists rich, but it kept them alive and encouraged.  God would start working from that house and the message would spread to other families nearby.  There was no need to relocate to different homes; one believing household would recommend Jesus to the others.  It became a pattern for the Early Church (Acts 20:20).

Working for Jesus is not complicated: start by explaining that peace with God comes through Jesus Christ.  Although many may not be interested, some will.  Those who listen are God's next assignment for you.  Do not be restless; jumping from one idea to another.  The Holy Spirit grows His peace in your heart (Galatians 5:22).   If you are filled with God's peace, the quality of your life will be attractive to those who are seeking peace for themselves (Philippians 4:7). You may not know where to start: so, start where you are ... if you have never offered your work-mates peace with God through Christ, none of them will know it is possible!  When they respond positively, show them the video at www.crosscheck.org.uk