Father, may they all be one as You are in Me and I am in You; may they be in Us, for by this unity the world will believe that You sent Me. All the glory You have given to Me, I pass on to them. May that glory unify them and make them one as We are one, I in them and You in Me, that they may be refined so that all will know that You sent Me, and You love them in the same way You love Me.
John 17:21-23
On the last night of his life, Jesus led a prayer that should serve as a guide when we navigate through the culture wars happening all around us. “I’m praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us” (John 17:20-21 MSG). Out of all of the things He could have prayed, knowing that the end was near, Jesus prayed for unity. He prayed that we would love each other. Why? Because, “this is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:35).
Jesus modeled it perfectly: He stood strong in the middle of tension and loved people outside of His comfort zone.
How will the world know we are followers of Jesus? It won’t be because we agree on everything. It won’t be because we have an answer for every argument. It won’t be because of our political opinions. They will know we are His because we love each other. When we are as mad as everyone else on social media, inherently we lose our witness. We should be building a coalition, not tearing each other down. The church was designed to be an alternative to our culture, not to reflect it. Our responsibility, as followers of Jesus, is to show our divided world what it looks like to disagree with one another and to still live in unity.
What does unity look like in the midst of the culture wars all around us? It’s choosing not to be offended. It’s choosing to focus on what we do have in common. It’s choosing people over any issue, however big or small it may seem. Let’s declare a ceasefire and represent Jesus so well that others want to know Him too!
Instead of fighting against people, fight FOR people.
Daily Reflections & Questions; The Spirit of God brings unity and sets our faith on fire so that it shines for the world to see. How are you reflecting the wholly healed, healthy, happy, and humble movement of God? How can you model God’s example of unity in your life?
Daily Prayer: Father God, thank you for a revival that is sweeping the entire globe. I want to embrace a more passionate faith — a vertical and horizontal faith. Fill me afresh with the power of your Holy Spirit so that I can look up to you and advance your Kingdom as well as impact my family, friends, neighbors, classmates, and colleagues with your hope and your peace. Amen.
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