Keep Them

John 17

 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Sanctify means to set apart.  We are to be set apart from worldly reactions and actions, not because we’re haughty or better, but because we love and prefer. 

Jesus is still praying for us, because he knew we would live in world full of evil, and that it would be hard to do right, to treat others with respect and love, and to not succumb to the pull of self-righteousness and self-exaltation.

We have to be one with the Father in order for others to believe in His love.

If we argue, shun, despise and criticize one another – even for voting for “that” person – we are not set apart.  We are saying that we know best, our neighbors know nothing, and we can’t be friends if they don’t come into our camp.

Those who don’t believe will never believe when we act childish in our relationships, hitting and pushing when we don’t understand or get our way.