John 15:19
It is easy to focus on the hatred of the world. It is easy to get caught up in those things that we encounter due to the lostness of the lost. Many of us deal with problems in our family circles because of our differences due Christ; some brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, spouses just do not understand why you can't be more like them. Many of us have difficulties at work due to the difference Christ has made in our life. There are many of us who struggle with sin; while sin has no dominion over us, we still live in fleshly bodies in a lost world where a real battle wages--just as it did for Paul. Those are all conflicts with the world, and in the words of Philip Yancey, are all "rumors" of another place; these conflicts should remind us that the Kingdom is real and that we as Christians are fish out of water until we arrive.
I spent several evenings this week at dinner with state senators and lobbyists. I'm a pretty sheltered dude, and was quite uncomfortable when certain conversations were launched and certain blood-alcohol levels were reached (not my own, by the way!). Eventually, those conversations, once certain levels were reached, turned to church. I heard about how unhappy certain ones were growing up in such strict structures and so they never went back. I heard about how certain ones were hurt in church and never went back. Amazingly, I even heard from certain ones how great their church is and and that I should check it out sometime!
When we face those kinds of situations, it is easy for us to get upset with the world because they don't look like us, talk like us, act like us, reason like us. Though my illustration is nothing like what you may have faced with a family member or co-worker, it was a conflict with the world.
Gut Reaction--"Why can't those people act better?"
Spiritual Reaction, part 1--"Lord, I'm reminded right now that I am not of the world because YOU CHOSE ME OUT. How great are you God. Thank you for reminding me that though I live in this world at present, I belong to your Kingdom; therefore, I can never be comfortable in this world. Thank your for choosing me and calling me and changing me."
Spiritual Reaction, part 2--"God, as offended as I am at the inability of the lost to be like me, I realize that they can't help it. It's not because they are necessarily bad people or mean people or perverted people. They just don't know YOU! Use me, Father, as a vessel through which You can call them to Yourself. I pray you will choose them out of this world. May my words and actions right now not show judgment or offense, but rather your love and mercy. They can't help it."
In this world we will have conflict because we are of another place. Those conflicts with the world are merely reminders of the Kingdom to which we belong. Because we are in the world but not of the world, life will have many discomforts. But the greatest reminder, as Jesus stated in our passage, is that we are not of the world because He chose us out of the world.
Why did He choose me? Was it because I'm better than anybody else? No. I wasn't even born saved much less sinless. Was it because I'm real smart? No. I can't even spell intelililgent. Was it because I'm so good looking? Well, maybe.
No. He chose me and He chose you based on nothing more than His unconditional love. How great is our God! Conflict with the world reminds us how great our God is in choosing us. That fact should not make us proud, but make us servants through which He can call others to His marvelous grace.
