“Now the God of patience and
consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ
Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also
received us to the glory of God.”—Romans 15:5-7 (KJV)
Life is
usually simple for the young. Babies and toddlers generally expect, and
receive, love. If an innocent baby could talk, it might say:
- “When I cry, I will be helped.”
- “This person holding me is not going to hurt me; I know her.”
- “Everyone wants to help me.”
As we age, reality sets in. The people closest to us may no longer be willing and able to immediately help us for two prime reasons:
- We’re more self-sufficient.
- We might be expected to earn certain kinds of assistance.
Relationships become complicated. Parents, teachers, and leaders have limitations and issues. They cannot do everything for everybody. Nobody can.
My last
articles here
and here
were about recognizing Jesus’ unconditional love (agape). Since this sublime
trait isn’t always easy to grasp, what’s the alternative?
Acceptance
(Please view my non-fiction book
about finding acceptance, Accept No Trash
Talk: Overcoming the Odds here.)
Jesus Christ
was all about tolerance as well. As shown in the image above, He healed and
interacted with people of all social levels. This included those considered
outcasts.
In today’s globalized,
diverse worldview, we come across many ideas. I’m not suggesting we act against
our ethics or morals. The fact remains that each person must make numerous
choices regarding their beliefs, words, and actions. Even loved ones won’t
always agree on everything.
In plenty of
instances, there isn’t only a single method to accomplish a certain goal. It
can be tempting to immediately correct someone and show him “the best way” to
act or think. This can relate to cooking, grooming, or more complicated tasks.
Me
Numerous
people have corrected me on jobs, and in my personal life. Some of them gave me
much more criticism than praise. Which do you think I remember—the kind words,
or the harsh ones? Do you think the unkindness spurs me—or anyone—to work
harder in the long term?
Speaking for
myself, I am 99% more likely to remember the negativity. In fact, I carry it
with me for quite a while.
Cooking
I believe in
following recipes—to a certain point. Frankly, some recipes don’t work well as
written. In addition, I often have to adjust them according to my dietary
restrictions, the ingredients I have on hand, and so forth. I even add items to
premeasured, store-bought baking mixes. I get rave reviews on them, too.
The Missionary
I read a
story about a young man who was serving a mission. He was unhappy, and he wanted
to return home. His supervisor asked a
church leader to speak with the teen.
The leader and the missionary did talk, sort of. It didn’t go well at first. The young man fidgeted, looked out a window, and did everything but listen as the leader lectured him. He wasn’t engaged at all. There was not even any eye contact.
The leader
was finally inspired to change his tactics. He stopped lecturing him. He told
the young man he loved him, and he was so glad they’d met. The young man was stunned.
He hadn’t ever expected or received love. I’m not sure, but he may have chosen to
complete his mission.
My Conclusion
Individuals connected through love
with Jesus, not through condemnation. That is where the healing/change began. That’s where it
starts with us, too. He showed us that
everyone should have a voice. It’s up to us to accept varying methods and
abilities.
Related Posts
How are you accepting others?
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