"John said to Him, 'Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.' But Jesus said, 'Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.’"
Mark 9:38–39
It is easy to draw tight circles around who belongs and who does not.
The disciples did exactly that, and Jesus corrected them immediately.
John came to Jesus confident he was doing the right thing.
This man was not one of the Twelve. He had not been commissioned. He was an outsider, and they shut him down.
But Jesus surprised them: "Do not hinder him." The man was casting out demons in Jesus' name, which meant he understood something profound: Jesus has authority over darkness, and Satan must answer to Him.
That kind of faith does not belong to imposters. It belongs to followers.
The lesson cuts straight to us. How often do we dismiss the work of God because it does not look the way we expect, come from the people we recognize, or fit neatly inside our circles?
God is bigger than our categories.
When you see another believer doing Kingdom work, the response should not be suspicion. It should be solidarity.
Today, look for someone doing good work for God outside your immediate circle.
Instead of questioning it, encourage it. Send a text, say a word, or simply get out of the way.
Prayer:
Father, forgive me for the times I have hindered Your work because it did not fit my expectations. Open my eyes to see what You are doing, even when it surprises me. Help me to cheer it on rather than shut it down. In Jesus' name, Amen.