Listen

Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. Whoever isn’t against us is for us.”

Mark 9:39-40

Think

Jesus responds to our desire to judge one another, to boast of our righteousness, with an inversion of the common saying, “Whoever is not for us is against us!” So often we are quick to condemn those who are not immediately, vocally for us in exactly the right way, using exactly the right words. But someone who is working toward the same goal as Jesus (casting out demons), is for him, even if he is not part of the disciples’ in-group.

Now, of course people can be against us! And Jesus did not hesitate to call out such people. But when we rush to exclude people who are really striving toward the same end we are, we rob ourselves of teammates unnecessarily.

Jordan Haynie-Ware

Pray

O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Book of Common Prayer (1979)

Go

Breathe upon us, breath of God,

young and old alike.

Send us forth, gifted with your power,

To serve your people.