Luke 9:49-50
“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” 50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”
I have been reading Luke for my advent devotional. I am amazed and blessed at the verses that reveal new treasures of information. This passage is one of those wisdom nuggets. Yes whoever is not against you is for you! Simple, yet so powerful.
Let’s look at what the disciples were up to, to make Jesus share this sentiment. Apparently, John got testy when he discovered non-disciples driving out demons in Jesus’ name. He told them to stop and then he went to Jesus to …dare I say “tattle”…Jesus simply said no worries….if they are not against you…they are for you. So in other words…leave it alone John. I would love to be a fly on the nearest rock to see how the disciples swallow this simple truth.
So how does that relate to us….I will take a few liberties and say: think about a time when you have felt the need to complain or gripe about someone else’s behavior. Is it something that we need to even be concerned with? Is our need to complain because we may feel inferior, so it is easier to point out someone else’s potential faults? I stop now when I see a behavior that I am not sure about and say to myself….”it is not against me…so therefore it is o.k.
I am over-simplifying this concept, to illustrate that sometimes we layer all these other feelings onto other people’s behaviors. Maybe we should take a moment and wonder why we feel the need to put this other person down. Pray for that person and move on. The old saying; a woman can be told ten times she is beautiful and then she is told she lacks poise….it will be that negative comment that she remembers. Let our words and actions share the incredible love of Jesus. This will help your own insecurities get smaller an smaller.
It is my prayer that you can take verses like these and remember that we can apply Jesus’ teachings to our every day lives. No matter what, as children of God let’s continue to glorify God with our words, actions a hearts.