not one of us

The disciples might have been right at home in the modern-day church. 

That’s a thought I had when I read this little vignette from Mark 9:38-42: “‘Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’

“‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ‘For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.’”

Can you imagine? “Jesus, this man was doing exactly what you call us to do but we stopped him.” And the reason? He’s not one of us.

She’s not a man, so she can’t lead. He’s not an adult so he can’t pray. They’re not even citizens, so what can they do? These are common attitudes. 

The public faces of our religion are distressingly uniform: mature men, mostly white. Our theologians and the executive directors of our non-profits, our elders and pastors, all fit a mold that represents only a part of God’s kingdom.

I’m in that favored demographic, so I can be an elder and fill the pulpit. And I’m also tempted to say, “She (or he) can’t do that because she’s not one of us.”