Friend or Enemy?
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"Numbers 11:29
Are you or have you ever been a part of an association or organization that advocates for a particular group or cause? And have you sometimes notice and realize there’s a similar group out there supporting a similar cause and doing the same exact things? What feelings ensue? Feelings of wondering what that group is doing? Maybe some mental comparisons? Or have you ever heard someone say something about similar groups, criticizing them, or even saying how maybe their/our group is better? This happens with religion too.
Growing up I have often criticize a particular group’s slogan that says, “Doing the most good.” I would think to myself, “How prideful! They boast about all the good they’re doing!” So I would always refuse to donate to that organization. I would then sometimes think about the Catholic Church’s charitable organizations and services and all the good we are doing and that we are doing it the right way because unlike that one group, we do not boast about all the good work we do (and undoubtedly, we do!). But that kind of spirit is not a Christian spirit. When the people saw that there were a couple of people prophesying amongst them who were not “prophets,” they complained to Moses and asked him to stop them. Moses rebuked them and said that’s not the way to go. Similarly in the Gospel, when the disciples saw that there were people who were not fellow disciples doing good works and casting out demons in Jesus’ name they tried to stop them. Jesus said they should not prevent them “for whoever is not against us is for us.”
There can never be too much good works or organizations. God is the source of all love, goodness, beauty, and truth, and so all good things come about because of Him. Whether it be Christian, Catholic, or non-Christian, good works are good works. The goodness does not come from the person doing it, it comes from its origin: God. So, the next time we find ourselves comparing or criticizing, let us pray for those doing good and ask the Lord to bless the work of their hands so that those whom they are ministering to may come to know God’s love. Whoever does good is our friend, not our enemy.
