Sometimes Christians act like little children – “tattle tales” on a playground – they run to their teacher and say… that group or person over there (as they point emphatically with their “spiritual” finger) don’t believe exactly like we do, they don’t play by the same “spiritual” rules, they’re not doing the Lord’s work just like we do it! Someone needs to stop them!! They’ll ruin everything!!”
How do you think the Lord responds when we act like that?
Good question! Do you think He says, “Thank you for that important information! You’re exactly right! I’m going to go over and put a stop to what they’re doing ‘in my Name’ and on my behalf right now!! Or does He respond with a rebuke to the “Tattletale” – just like a parent or teacher sometimes does on the playground?
Well, fortunately we’re not left in doubt… There is a situation just like that in the Bible…
“John spoke up, ‘Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t in our group!’ Jesus wasn’t pleased. ‘Don’t stop him! No one can use my name to do something good and powerful, and in the next breath cut me down. If he’s not our enemy, he’s an ally. Why, anyone by just giving someone a cup of water in my name is on our side! Count on it – God will notice!’ On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t! You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck!” (from Mark 9:38-42 the Message)
Just gotta say, I don’t want to behave like a spiritual “tattletale” – somehow I don’t think the Lord has changed his attitude about it. I admit, there are some things that really matter – like the truth of “the Gospel”! But simply complaining about the fact that a fellow Christian isn’t in “our group” or differences in “ministry style” or making a big deal about minor differences of in doctrine, won’t win the approval of the Lord.
Coffee With The Lord 