Not One of Us

Mark 9:38-41 Then John said, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of someone. He is not one of us. So we told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group.” Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. Whoever uses my name to do powerful things will not soon say bad things about me. Whoever is not against us is with us. I can assure you that anyone who helps you by giving you a drink of water because you belong to the Messiah will definitely get a reward.

It never ceases to amaze me how tribalism in society has become so prevalent, often without our awareness. We see it in sports—okay, fine. It happens in politics—something we might expect. But it also manifests in more subtle and divisive mindsets, in ways we tend to ignore.

Like it or not, society tends to stratify itself by socioeconomic status. In other words, rich people associate with other rich people; the middle class with the middle class; the poor with the poor. There are exceptions, of course, but look around—that’s how it often goes.

Additionally, we naturally keep away from those who look, sound, think, or believe differently than we do. If we reflect on it, we can all identify examples of this in our own lives.

We even see this among Christians—“I belong to this tribe; they belong to that tribe.” If someone believes slightly differently, we might think, “Better keep away from them.”

In Mark 9:38-41, John tells Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of someone. He is not one of us. So we told him to stop.” Jesus replies, “Don’t stop him. Whoever uses my name to do powerful things will not soon say bad things about me. Whoever is not against us is with us. I can assure you that anyone who helps you by giving you a drink of water because you belong to the Messiah will definitely get a reward.”

Let’s not be so quick to judge or build walls. Jesus died for us all, and His message calls us to embrace inclusivity in Christianity. We must strive for unity among believers, breaking down the social divides that often separate us.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.