Tribe

What happens at a Georgia and Georgia Tech game? There are two tribes of people rooting for their team. Let me set the stage. For some strange reason there are two Georgia fans sitting, with two seats between them, next to two Georgia Tech fans. The games starts and they both give their own cheers for their team, their tribe. The Georgia fans say "goooooo dawgs sick em' woof, woof, woof at the kickoff. The Georgia Tech fans sing their song when the team scores - "I'm a ramblin wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer." Back and forth they go cheering for their team and being a part of their "tribe." The two seats in between these warring tribes are people who just came to watch the game and have no alliance with either team, it is just exciting to be there. These two people are eating hot dogs. One of them begins to choke on the hot dog and his friend stands up and yells "my friend is choking on his hotdog!" What do the Georgia and Georgia Tech fans do? Of course, before they help they ask "are you a bulldog fan?" "Are you a yellow jacket fan?"

Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

Philippians 3:2-9

Beware of those that want to identify themselves with the "tribe" before they can help you. They hinder good in the world; they do not help advance good in the world. Paul is saying that he once identified with the tribe of jewish leaders and he thought others had to do the same to be a part of the establishment and before he could help or acknowledge them.

So, if the fans have to make sure that the hurting person identifies with his or her "tribe" before they can help, they are not advancing good in the world. Of course, they would help without thought if the person is a jacket or a dog fan. Paul is reminding us to beware of the "dogs" - those who who think they are advancing good in the world, but actually hold it back with their rules and expectations about what you are to do to belong to the tribe.

The Georgia and the Georgia Tech fan can be helpful to this person and remain a fan of their team. They still are a member of their "tribe" even though they help someone who is not. Even though the bulldog fan may jump in and help the struggling and choking person, they are still a Georgia fan. They can transcend their identity to help and advance good. This is the advancing of good in the world.

We can be Christian and help those who are not in our "tribe" and we are still Christian. We can trancend our identity as a "Christian" and advance good in the world, we advance the love of Christ. When we want to say that we cannot help.......... (fill in the blank) because they are not Christian we are not advancing good, we are holding back good and evil advances. This is how Paul describes himself as someone who once did this before he met the power of Christ's love. His identity with his tribe was worthless if it did not help and bring others to the transforming love of God. So, how are we doing as a tribe of Christians? Are you able to transcend your identity with the tribe and help those who need it even though they do not act or believe as you do? Advance love and good in the world and transcend your identity as a Christian. You are still Christian even if you help those who would never cheer for your team. Maybe they will actually decide to if you just helped without question. Anyone remember the story of the good samaritan?

Namaste'