上帝創造的烏林鴞是偽裝大師，牠的銀灰色羽毛有深淺不一的斑點，讓牠棲息在樹上時能和樹皮的顏色融合在一起。當這一類的貓頭鷹不想被發現時，牠們可以躲在顯眼的地方，借助羽毛的偽裝與周圍的環境融為一體。

其實，上帝的子民很多時候和烏林鴞很像。不管是有意還是無意，我們都可以很容易地融入這個世界，讓人認不出自己是基督徒。耶穌為門徒禱告，這些門徒就是天父「從世上」分別出來賜給祂，且「遵守」祂話語的人（約翰福音17章6節）。聖子耶穌求聖父保護這些門徒，並賦予他們力量，使他們在祂離世後，仍能過著聖潔和恆久喜樂的生活（7-13節）。祂說：「我不求祢叫他們離開世界，只求祢保守他們脫離那惡者」（15節）。耶穌知道門徒需成為聖潔的人，並與世界有所分別，如此一來，他們才能實現祂差遣他們的目的（16-19節）。

聖靈可以幫助我們擺脫誘惑，不成為融入世界的偽裝大師。當我們天天順服祂，我們就會更像耶穌。當我們活出合一與彼此相愛的生命，聖靈就能吸引人來歸向榮耀的基督。

God designed the great gray owl as a master of camouflage. Its silver-gray feathers have a collective pattern of coloring which allows it to blend into the bark when perched in trees. When the owls want to remain unseen, they hide in plain sight, blending into their environment with the help of their feathery camouflage.

God’s people are often too much like the great gray owl. We can easily blend into the world and remain unrecognized as believers in Christ, intentionally or unintentionally. Jesus prayed for His disciples—those the Father gave Him “out of the world” who “obeyed” His Word (John 17:6). God the Son asked God the Father to protect and empower them to live in holiness and persevering joy after He left them (vv. 7-13). He said, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (v. 15). Jesus knew His disciples needed to be made holy and set apart so they could live out the purpose He’d sent them to fulfill (vv. 16-19).

The Holy Spirit can help us turn from the temptation to become masters of camouflage that blend into the world. When we submit to Him daily, we can look more like Jesus. As we live in unity and love, He’ll draw others to Christ in all His glory.