Not of this World 

   “If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.” (John 15: 19) 

   Jesus calls us out of the world even though we still live in the world.  The life He calls us to is in many ways a live of exile; the world is not our home and is not meant to be.  The world is full of sin and we are to separate ourselves from its evil.

   Those called to follow God almost always separate themselves from the world at large.  From the call of Abraham to the new Christian communities formed after the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, they separated themselves from society, forming a new community, the Church.  Even when they were not called from their homeland as Abraham was they were called to a spiritual separation from the world.  We too are called to separate ourselves from the world at large.

   I think many people today are too concerned with “fitting in” with the society in which we live rather than distancing themselves from the evils of that society.  No one wants to called a religious fanatic but that is what Christians are called to be; fanatically in love with God.  Instead, we try to get along even when getting along means turning a blind eye to evil.

   We can’t all move to the desert and separate ourselves physically from society, but we can separate ourselves spiritually.  We can resist the evil at every opportunity, even when it may mean that we will be ostracized, persecuted, and perhaps even martyred.

   Society will continue to change based on the wants and desires of the current generation, but our faith, our devotion to God and to the truth can never change with it.