"Love your neighbor as yourself" ... the most important expression of Unity... and one the whole world can see!

Near the very end of Jesus’ life here on earth He said a prayer… one that provides valuable insight on the theme of Peace, Love and Unity… this prayer for future believers (that would be us) immediately follows a prayer for himself, and for his disciples…

“My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23.

This prayer to me emphasizes an important message about unity… we talk about this at church… how we’re one body made up of many parts, and how each part plays a vital role in the function of the body of believers… and how we need to have community within the body of believers. Vitally important… as is our witness, our outward expression of Peace, Love and Unity to the rest of the world…

“Unity is the presence of genuine harmony, understanding, and goodwill between people.” Ken Sande

This starts in our heart, for sure… how can we bring peace, love and unity to the world if our heart isn’t really in the right place?

from within our heart it grows to connect us to the body of believers…

however, unity isn’t really about circling the wagons…

it’s like the beacon shining on the hill for all the world to see…

to the other believers that we don’t have opportunity to routinely connect with…

and, most importantly, to display the love of Jesus to anyone and everyone who has their eyes… and heart… open to look… see… touch… and feel…

anyone… everywhere… from this little town to the remote ends of the earth…

Unity, in the big picture of things, is an outwardly focused calling.

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'” Acts 13:47

How could you adjust to have a more outwardly focused vision when you think of unity? Where do you see this concept in action within your community?