History was made in the baseball world in 1947. It was in that year that Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues. The Brooklyn Dodgers’ owner, Branch Rickey, told Robinson, “It’ll be tough on you. You are going to take a lot of abuse, be ridiculed, and receive more verbal punishment than you ever thought possible.” Rickey continued, “But I’m willing to back you all the way if you have the determination to make it work.”

In short order, Robinson experienced Rickey’s gloomy prediction. He was abused verbally and physically as players intentionally ran him over and ran him down. The crowd was quick with racial slurs and deriding comments. Opponents, as well as his own teammates, ridiculed Robinson.

Around mid-season, Robinson was having a particularly horrendous day. He had fumbled several grounders, overthrown first base, and batted poorly. The crowd that day was especially nasty. Then something miraculous happened. In front of this critical crowd, Pee Wee Reese, the team captain, walked over from his shortstop position and put his arm around Jackie Robinson.

Robinson later reflected, “The simple gesture saved my career. Pee Wee made me feel as if I belonged.”

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In today’s gospel reading, part of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper in John’s gospel, Jesus is preparing his followers for his departure from this world, when he will no longer be present in the same bodily form as he had been to that point. He will ascend, back to his Father. The passage concludes, “And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming back to you.”

The question I would like to ask is how, in what manner, are we, followers of Jesus, in the world.

Let’s go back to the baseball story for some insight. We can say that Jackie Robinson, Branch Rickey, Pee Wee Reese, and all the others were in the world of baseball. But Pee Wee Reese, when he saw, day after day, the horrible abuse that was being heaped upon Jackie Robinson, finally decided he had had enough. By his noble gesture, Reese was in effect saying, I’m in the world of baseball, but I’m not of that world in the way it is being played out. Baseball is a great game, but we’re better than the way we’ve been acting. Jackie Robinson is my teammate, and he has every right to be here. I am in this world of baseball, but I am not of the hateful world you have turned it into.

I think the same sort of thing applies to us followers of Jesus. It is true, as Jesus says, that we are in the world. But we are supposed to be different. We are not of the world when it contradicts basic human values, basic rights, basic standards of decency. And, like Pee Wee Reese, we want to put our arms around all those who are being mistreated, discriminated against, ignored and abused, and by our actions say, we believe in a different world, a better world, and we’re willing to do what we can to change it. We will not close our eyes to injustice, prejudice, cruelty, or war waged in the name of God. Jesus knows we are better than that.

What Pee Wee Reese did takes courage. But that’s what Jesus did in his day, and what we are called to do in our day. In the gospel the opposite of love is not always hate. Often, love’s opposite is fear—fear to take a stand, to go against the tide, to support and create a better way, a more human, compassionate way. We are in the world, but our heart belongs to Jesus Christ, and the world he calls us to create.