To Gather or To Scatter

PHOTO: MAURICE FLOOD

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Lk 11:23

This verse reminds me of another, two chapters earlier in Luke’s gospel. Jesus’ disciples saw someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and they tried unsuccessfully to stop the exorcist who was not one of their group. They told Jesus about it and he said, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you” (Lk 9,50).

The temptation of the world is to divide its people into “them” and “us,” and that process begins early. As children we are quick to point our finger at someone else as deserving of blame: “I didn’t do it; they did!” I remember one day years ago, sitting on the floor with my younger sister in the large bedroom we shared with another sister, a brother, and a grandmother. We must have been making too much noise playing because mom had called up and in her no-nonsense tone told us we had better quiet down.

We leaned against the footboard of one bed, touched our toes to the sideboard of another, and made a pact: We will NEVER forget what it was like being a child as our mother obviously had. My own children would say I had forgotten long before they were born. What is natural bonding and response to growing up is different from the hateful divisions that are purposely created by adults.

Flagrantly putting walls around “us” to keep “them” out was condoned by our society when “them” equaled “Black.” Skin color is not the only attribute that marks people as “other,” though it is the most obvious. Language and ethnicity give rise to discrimination and division. These prejudices continue today, sometimes more subtly, and include less conspicuous populations like transsexuals, the poor, and mentally ill. Divisions can become hateful even between religious denominations, faiths, and political parties. Wars are fought over such differences.

Jesus was not concerned with such classifications. Instead, he was focused his mission of bringing God’s Kingdom. Jesus was interested in intent and actions, not who was intending or doing. Do our actions bring love and unity to God’s people or do they plant fear and division? Do our actions help bring the kingdom or do they impede its coming? Perhaps we need to focus on what mattered to Jesus: the heart.

Jesus didn’t ask about his apperance or sexual orientation. He didn’t need to know if he was well educated or wealthy. The exorcist was contributing to the work Jesus had come to do. That was enough for him. It should be enough for us.
© 2010 Mary van Balen