“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
Romans 15:7
Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to accept someone?
It means to receive willingly, to receive favorably.
Maybe the word acceptance recalls for you great memories of a letter from a college or university you were hoping to be accepted at.
Perhaps the memories are not so fond and instead of acceptance it was a letter of rejection for a job offer you thought was a perfect fit.
Rejection hurts and acceptance is always better than rejection.
When I accept another person and love them free of any and all of the strings we always want to attach, then I love them as Christ loved me.
How many have knelt at the cross only to be rejected?
How many have cried out to God for forgiveness and mercy only to hear Him say:
Come back when you are perfect!
We know, because we now know God, that would never happen; but are we guilty of requiring of others what has never been required of us?
Do we refuse to accept someone because they are not in our social circle or not at the same level of education we are?
Do we reject them because we have determined that they fail to measure up ethically or morally as determined by us?
Have we failed to understand that accepting and loving another person is not the same as approving and endorsing a behavior?
I recognize and admit that I sometimes behave in ways God does not approve of or endorse.
How about you?
Still, he loves me.
He fills me with His Spirit.
He gives meaning and purpose to my life.
He accepts me.
That means He accepts me willingly and favorably.
He knows, better than anyone, that there is still much work to be done in me.
When I accept others unconditionally, I am loving as Christ loves.
I am loving without strings attached.
I am bringing praise to God!
Romans 15:7
Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to accept someone?
It means to receive willingly, to receive favorably.
Maybe the word acceptance recalls for you great memories of a letter from a college or university you were hoping to be accepted at.
Perhaps the memories are not so fond and instead of acceptance it was a letter of rejection for a job offer you thought was a perfect fit.
Rejection hurts and acceptance is always better than rejection.
When I accept another person and love them free of any and all of the strings we always want to attach, then I love them as Christ loved me.
How many have knelt at the cross only to be rejected?
How many have cried out to God for forgiveness and mercy only to hear Him say:
Come back when you are perfect!
We know, because we now know God, that would never happen; but are we guilty of requiring of others what has never been required of us?
Do we refuse to accept someone because they are not in our social circle or not at the same level of education we are?
Do we reject them because we have determined that they fail to measure up ethically or morally as determined by us?
Have we failed to understand that accepting and loving another person is not the same as approving and endorsing a behavior?
I recognize and admit that I sometimes behave in ways God does not approve of or endorse.
How about you?
Still, he loves me.
He fills me with His Spirit.
He gives meaning and purpose to my life.
He accepts me.
That means He accepts me willingly and favorably.
He knows, better than anyone, that there is still much work to be done in me.
When I accept others unconditionally, I am loving as Christ loves.
I am loving without strings attached.
I am bringing praise to God!
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