Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Advent-Christmas Devotional - 2017 - single page | Page 22

Intention Matters
Sunday, December 17th
John 17:14-17
Intention matters, and when we are talking about rejection, it matters even more.
Your PE teacher is splitting the class into teams. You’re the last one put on a team. Why? Is it because she
thinks you’re the worst, or is it because she’s using you to help out the weaker team? Intention matters.
Your boss asks everyone but you to step into her office. Why? Are you getting in trouble or are you getting a
surprise party? Intention matters.
The world around you doesn't understand your faith, your selflessness, or your God. The people who are
consumed by a worldly focus, being naturally selfish, do not trust you to be selfless, and so the world
rejects you. Their intention matters.
There is a difference between the rejection that comes from the world and the rejection that comes from
the evil one. It's all wrapped up in the intention. Both of them hurt, both are challenges Christians have to
deal with, and both affect our mission in Christ. But the rejection from the world is forgivable - even
understandable. The rejection from the devil? It’s unforgivable and irrational.
Christ shows that he understands the difference intention makes as he prays for you in John 17. "The
world has hated them…" because "They are not of the