February 28- Sort This One Out

Leviticus 22:17-23:44
Mark 9:30-10:12
Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 10:19

Mark 9 reads-
³⁸ John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” ³⁹ “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me.

I've read this verse many times before. However, this is the first time I've read and noticed that Jesus said the people doing the miracles eventually wouldn't speak evil against him. I have a hard time with this text (I always have). However, today it is even much more complex than before. How is it that these people perform miracles in his name, while at the same time speak evil of him? This is an interesting one that I need to look up in a commentary for sure. Still, the text reminds me of the importance of getting ourselves out of the picture and letting God work. God takes people where they are at, and seeks to transform them. So many times, we view church as a means to sort people. He goes here, she goes here, etc. By classifying and organizing, we are able to move people into their appropriate boxes. Christianity, isn't about sorting people. Rather, it is about working with and helping people to be the best they can be for Christ. Jesus knows this. Thus, he doesn't sort and arrange. Rather, he suggests that God needs to work in people's lives, so that thought and deed are unified.