Scripture
‘“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. ‘ Mark 9:38-40
https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MRK.9.38-40
Observation
Jesus disciples stopped a man from advancing the Kingdom of God, because they did not know him and were automatically suspicious. Their response was understandable, but Jesus wanted to teach them a different way. Jesus impressed on them the importance of assuming the best about people. He did not tell them to act as if bad people were good, or to treat wrong actions as though they were holy–but rather, to assume the best possible things about a person until the facts prove otherwise.
Application
This is a hard one for me to put into practice. I am suspicious of people by nature, and more inclined to believe the worst than the best. I need to hang onto Jesus words in this passage–“Whoever is not against us….is for us!”. Kingdom thinking requires that I step outside of my own dark assumptions and glass-half-empty mentality. Each person with whom I come into contact, is a priceless treasure to the creator. Instead of interacting with them through suspicion and negative assumptions, I need to pray to see them through the eyes of the Savior—as the person they COULD be, not just as the person that they are. They may not yet be everything that they can be, but by the grace of God I can be an encouragement to them on their journey, and not a hindrance.
Prayer
God, thank you for seeking out and developing the best in me–not limiting me by my darkest inclinations and possibilities. Help me to employ that same spirit when I interact with others, and assume the best about them rather than the worst.