A requirement, not an option

John 17:20-21 (NLT)

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. "

It makes me sad when my boys don't get along. I know that they are only kids and I'm praying that as they get older they will develop a super strong bond like that that I've seen in other grown siblings I know. I can't imagine how sad it must make parents of adults when their children fuss, bicker and treat each other worse than an enemy. How sad must it make our heavenly Father when we, His children, don't (or won't) get along? Sometimes we won't even try. We think we're showing how spiritual we are when, after coming to a point of disagreement with another follower of Jesus Christ, decide to avoid them or write them off. I know there's a huge spectrum on which these things can fall and some folks are just not healthy to be around because of how argumentative they are by nature. What I'm referring to is our quick trigger to write off folks just because we disagree on non-essential issues of theology or life when Jesus has clearly called (required) us to unity. Sure we're going to disagree. That's healthy. It sharpens us and, funny thing, we can actually learn from one another if we will. Not if we're in the habit of fatally choosing sides though. I'm just say'n.