September 23, 2018

Get Over Yourself

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.” – Mark 9:38

It was appalling. It was a ridiculous situation that played out on Main Street during a downtown festival. It should have been about Jesus. Instead, it became about one man’s ego.

A newly planted church had secured a booth at the event. Someone had given them a box of Bibles to give away. They were doing that. Another man, from a different church, recognized that the Bibles were from an organization he’s affiliated with. He was livid and attempted to stop the church group from giving away the Bibles. His reasoning? Only members of the organization were authorized to distribute the Bibles.

It gets worse. He started screaming at the church members. In the middle of downtown. On Main Street. During an event that draws thousands of people. Gosh. I guess that really made people want to know more about Jesus. Seriously?!

I know this man. He’s basically a good person who loves Jesus. Until you disagree with him. Then he turns hateful and mean and you have to wonder about the overall condition of his heart. Fortunately, that’s between him and God.

Did it really matter who was giving away the Bibles? Of course not. The Bibles were a gift intended to be distributed in the exact way they were being distributed. Were any “rules” violated?” I have no idea. Nor do I care. Jesus lived His life as an illustration of how “rules” can miss the point of true faith.

What did Jesus say to the disciples?

“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9:39-40

Don’t stop him. Don’t stop them. Can’t you just hear Jesus admonishing the man for being focused on the wrong thing? It didn’t matter where the Bibles came from. What mattered is where those Bibles were going and why. God’s Word was being sent out to do His will and touch hearts. That was what was important.

Many years ago I had the opportunity to take a room full of books from a thrift store that was closing. They were free. The only catch was I had to take all of them. In the midst of that large stockpile was 20 plus Bibles of various translations and type size. Some were in excellent condition. Some were kind of shabby. I gave them all away.

I had set up tables at a local flea market. I was sure to put the Bibles in one area and other books for sale in another area. I was amazed at the reactions from people when I told them the Bibles were free. One girl had always wanted her very own Bible. Another person secured a large print Bible for a relative in the nursing home who could no longer read regular-size print.

Suspicion clouded some faces. They were expecting a “catch.” They expected me to insist on a name and number or to be blasted with judgement or a sermon. They didn’t get any of that. Just a smile, a kind word, and my willingness to answer questions if they had any.

It wasn’t about me. It was about sharing God’s Word. It was a beautiful experience of what happens when we simply give without expectation.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our “rules” and in our own agendas that we miss Jesus. We need to get over ourselves and work together to spread His love to all who would draw near.