Condemnation Indigestion (Friday Devotional)

‘John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.”’

- Luke 9:49-50

Lately, my 28-year old body has been giving me increasingly frequent reminders that it’s not 21 anymore. For example, the other night we ordered a large meat lovers pizza for dinner and I greedily devoured four pieces. That’s the sort of thing I used to do in college all the time—I could scarf down half a pizza, wash it down with a pair of Dr Peppers, and eat some ice cream out of the tub for dessert, no problem.

But I’m not in college anymore, and the difference between my body at 21 and my body at 28 is apparently starker than I realized. While I was eating the pizza, I thought it was delicious and I was satisfied. But as the night wore on, my gluttonous dinner started getting to me in a way it never used to—heartburn, indigestion, the whole nine yards. When I lethargically climbed into bed, I had to come to grips with the truth: the momentary satisfaction of my big, fatty dinner wasn’t worth the eventual consequences.

Condescension and condemnation are a lot like that. It feels good in the moment to look down on someone who speaks, thinks, or believes differently than you do. There’s a certain rush that comes from telling another person that they’re wrong or they need to be apologize. It’s gratifying when you feel like you’re better than someone else, and putting such people in their place has an almost cleansing quality emotionally.

Unfortunately, that immediate gratification tends to give you spiritual, emotional, and communal indigestion. When you condemn people, it may momentarily elevate you, but ultimately you wind up alone at the top—after all, the more people you purge from your circle, the smaller your circle gets. Exclusivity offers instant satisfaction, but it also tends to bring eventual solitude.

When Jesus’s disciples tried to rebuke a person outside of the twelve who was casting out demons in Jesus’s name, he reminded them—and us—that there are real enemies to face in this world without resorting to infighting over who the “real disciples” are. Especially in our divisive time, you can find fault in anyone—but does your condemnation help the body of Christ, or hurt it?

If you insist on only associating with people who believe exactly what you do, you’ll find quick thrills in your judgment of people who don’t meet your standards, but you won’t find long-term spiritual health. The kingdom of God has room for more kinds of people than you think—maybe your heart should too.