Tattle

"At that time, John said to Jesus, 'Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.' " - Mark 9:38

The disciples are proud that they're in Jesus's "inner circle" - many have been with him since the start, have been first-hand witnesses to the miracles he's been performing, and have heard things from him that others have not. So it's no wonder that they get upset when an "outsider" tries to perform deeds in his name. 

But Jesus reminds them that it's ok - that there will be people doing things in his name and, if they're doing it for good, then they shouldn't be stopped. After all, the fact that they're doing it demonstrates just how much they believe in Jesus. 

2,000 years later, we too get caught up in this. We try to compare and contrast ourselves as Christians to others. One version thinks certain activities are good, others damnable. Some believe in the literal translation of the events transpired at the Last Supper, others believe them to be representations. Some believe healing can only be accomplished through a formal process, others see it as a very personal experience. There are millions of ways one Christian can be different from others. But there's one thing we will always share in common - our belief in Jesus, the Son of God, who walked with us, talked with us, and wants us to believe in him. And no matter how we express our faith, how we interpret what he said, at our core we all believe that fundamental idea. 

Jesus was, is, and always will be with us. Let's focus on that, instead of what makes us different.