Stopped

Luke 9:49-50 (The Message)

John spoke up, "Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn't of our group."

Jesus said, "Don't stop him. If he's not an enemy, he's an ally."

Now remember everybody...we've just heard Jesus become frustrated with the disciples because they couldn't cast out demons and heal the sick. We've seen him teach a difficult lesson about humility and pride.

And this is their response...

Whining.

It's hard for me to think of a Saint and Apostle like John using a whiny, little-kid-not-getting-his-way kind of voice, but that's all I can hear in this passage.

It's as though he's saying, "Jesus! They put up a starbucks sign on their coffee shop but they haven't paid their franchise fees!!!"

"So, we burned down their store."

That makes sense, right? Not quite.

This demon-expelling man, whoever he was, was doing things in Jesus' name that the disciples could not. Who was he? Who did he think he was? How could he be allowed to get away with this?

John goes to Jesus for a ruling. And the ruling is, "If he's not an enemy, he's an ally."

Real tolerance is not an easily acquired character trait.

There are folks out there who believe things and do things in Jesus' name that I don't understand or even agree with. There are crying TV preachers, and self-proclaimed Bishops.

But my role is not to be their judge.

My role is to be a faithful ally of the Kingdom. And that's really my only job.

Just yesterday we heard Jesus say it: "acceptance" rules over "assertion."

Prayer: Jealousies can erupt within our hearts. Others may have gifts that we wish we had for ourselves. Our need for acclaim and acceptance can lead us into judgment of other people. Teach us to see allies, not enemies, wherever and whenever we can.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.