We love to choose teams, don’t we? Who is on your team? Jesus’ disciples in the first century wrestled with this just as we do today. John the erstwhile “Son of Thunder” came upon another person who was casting out demons and told him to quit. Later, when a Samaritan village did not welcome the disciples he wanted to torch it. “Lord do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” Sounds like all the thunder had not yet been worked out of John’s life.
Comedian Emo Phillips (whom I do not know) is credited with this story: “Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!” He said, “Nobody loves me.” I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me, too! What denomination?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.” I said, “Me, too!” Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?” He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.” I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.
We might find Emo’s story funny if it weren’t so true. So who is on our team? It is easy to demonize those whom we do not know well. We are sometimes surprised to discover that we are not in this alone. Joshua asked, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” On the whole, that is a much better question. Those who serve our Lord in various ways are not our enemies, even if we don’t know them well. This very fact compels us to get to know them better. And whatever else we do today, let us be sure we are on the Lord’s side and bless all those who are with us in this work.
