John 17:22-23
During the pandemic, I had an online misunderstanding with the wife of a lifelong friend. She correctly called me out for poor communication on a political point I was making (by the way, I don't make online political points anymore). I acknowledged and corrected my mistake, but I sensed she still had hurt feelings.
Then my friend sent me one of the most welcome texts I've ever received, assuring me that I am his brother, and nothing could ever change that. I was so relieved and expressed my gratitude. I have carried that text in my heart ever since.
Jesus wants us to be united, as he expressed in John 17:22-23 (NIV):
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity.
Our unity reveals Jesus's vision and God's wisdom. But united and unified do not mean uniform.
Certainly, we will all have our opinions, but those views don't have to be uniform to remain united. Is there anyone you agree with 100% of the time? Even if someone disagrees, you can still be brothers and sisters in Christ. Just like my friend expressed, we can rise above disagreement and still be kin forever.
That's exactly what Jesus envisioned. In fact, it is proof of God's wisdom when we can exercise our free will to possess our own unique thoughts, yet our overarching thought is to remain unified in the body of Christ.
This devotional is inspired by the final chapter of "From Comfort Zone to Trust Zone: How Jesus Urges Us to Take Leaps of Faith for His Kingdom." Learn more about the book at https://www.ceciltaylorministries.com/from-comfort-zone-to-trust-zone .
Comments