My Painting Renditionof Walt Kelly's Classic Pogo Earth Day Strip

Sister Joan Irene

A House Divided Lk 11:14-23

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Whoever is not with me is against me. It becomes a very simple matter. The people sought to test Jesus, some questioned if he was acting by the power of the devil. He explains that the power of the devil would not drive out demons. Somehow we tend to make matters more confusing and convoluted. It is a very straightfoward decision. Are you with Jesus? If not you are against Him. There is no halfway or partial way or gray area of maybe that will work. A mute man was healed and could speak, who am I to be critical of anyone who has just healed a person? If they are doing good in this world of illness and suffering, why attactk and challenge them? If I am not following God's will or the teaching of Jesus, then ultimately I will cause damage to this world and others and be one who scatters and destroys rather than gathers and builds.