Side to side

When you find yourself in a surreal situation where you become other, you might (in part to find your own sanity) begin to categorize people as to where their loyalties lie. This is a crying shame in light of the unity we are to keep. But Jesus is not reluctant to draw some lines:

He who is not with Me (definitely on My side) is against Me, and he who
does not (definitely) gather with Me and for My side scatters.

He somehow knows who is what and what who is doing. I have more trouble. He puts it plainly when He says:

Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and
mother!

I want to do His will and work with those who are doing His will. How will I know who they are? I can look at their fruit, either good or rotten. I can become attentive to the Spirit and develop ears that hear, eyes that see, and a heart that understands. I will have to trust that He will show me when to remove myself from those who "encourage themselves in an evil purpose" (see Ps. 64!)

Jesus speaks in parables about the kingdom and says his angels are charged with the job of removing the weeds from the wheat:

They will gather out of His kingdom all causes of offense (persons by whom
others are drawn into error or sin) and all who do iniquity and act
wickedly and will cast them into the furnace of fire...

So vengeance is His at His time. I think my job is to be sure I am on His side and doing His will, and that I am listening, perceiving and understanding. (Read Matt. 12 and 13 for the complete text of these verses.)