The Art of Acceptance

Romans 15:7

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

This post is by my friend and GUEST BLOGGER: Mark Conner, Senior Pastor of City Life Church, Melbourne.

The apostle Paul understood the vital importance of healthy relationships in every area of life - with our families at home, with friends, with co-workers in the workplace, with neighbours, and in small groups and serving teams within our church community. In order for us to relate effectively with other people, we need to learn some important skills. One of the most important relationship skills is the art of acceptance.

Paul tells us to accept one another in the same way that Christ accepts us. How did Christ accept us? He loved us and died for us while we were still his enemies and living in a life of sin. He didn’t wait for us to get our act together before he reached out to us. We are to do the same for others.

Jesus had an amazing ability to accept people – all people, just as they were. He treated every person as if they were very important – even those despised by others in his culture, such as beggars, women, and children. Most of us treat people based on the value we place on them. Jesus placed a #10 on everyone; then he treated them that way. What a difference that makes.

In contrast, the Pharisees and the religious leaders of Jesus’ day only accepted people who were like them. Everyone else they kept at a distance. Their attitude was ‘change and then you can come and be with us’ while Jesus’ approach to all people was ‘come as you are and let my grace change you.’ The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19) is a great example of the power of acceptance in a person’s life.

Jesus told us to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matt.22:39). We all want to be accepted. Let’s do the same for others. Learn how to accept people as they are. Everyone wants to feel worthwhile. People want to feel important. Of course, acceptance does not mean approval of someone's behaviour. Acceptance is not the same as tolerance. Jesus was a friend of sinners without condoning their sin. It is an act of the heart that shows a person’s value and worth.

How do you approach people – with a smile or a frown, with a sense of acceptance or rejection? Let go of condemnation and judgment. Genuinely accept others ... just as they are ... warts and all.

Questions

• Have you ever been accepted when you were expecting rejection? How did it feel? 
• Who do you image would be most likely to fear rejection in a church?
• What are the greatest barriers in your life to becoming more accepting? 
• Please leave a comment.

Visit Mark's Blog at Mark Conner's Space. Thanks for a great guest blog!

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Who is Welcome, Really ?

Rom 14:13 

"Let us therefore no longer pass judgement on one another, but resolve

instead never to put a stumbling-block or hindrance in the way of another."

This post is by my friend and GUEST BLOGGER: Dr. Melissa Stebbins, Chemist, Bible Student, Wife, Mother.

Paul spends a fair amount of his word count railing against the Jews for putting burdens on Gentile Christians. Itʼs not hard to feel some sympathy for the Jews though. They were used to being culturally separate, had their own customs and then they are suddenly having to eat and share their lives with people who are different. People who didnʼt share the kind of common heritage that makes living in community a little bit easier.

Now, letʼs move that situation into a modern day context. Many of us have certain expectations of what a Christian looks like. Are we prepared to welcome into the church family people who arenʼt like us? If we do, that might mean thereʼs going to be people who come and tell dirty jokes, leave their cigarette butts at the door, swear, raise their hands when singing, keep their hands in their pockets, talk too much, talk too loudly, fall asleep in the sermon, maybe they smell funny, read the KJV, read The Message, leave the dirty dishes, want the music loud, donʼt want music at all, talk about things that make you uncomfortable, donʼt talk at all, put their feet on the furniture, stay all night, turn up late,argue, bicker, barrack for Carlton ...

I must admit Iʼm selfish. I donʼt like being uncomfortable, itʼs easier to be around people that are like me, that conform to the same social norms, that are interested in similar things. At the same time Iʼd hate to be the person who put a stumbling block in the way of someone knowing Jesus, in fact I want to be the person who kicks the needless stumbling blocks out of the way.

Some things to remember:

• No one needs to clean themselves up before they sit down at the table.
• Weʼre not called to make people like us, but to make people like Jesus - many of our differences are just not that important.
• Jesus' priorities are different to ours - we need to be aware that sometimes what we think is best is really just a reflection of our own interests.
• We may need to give up something that we personally value to serve the interests of others.
• We need each other - each part of the body has a part to play.

Questions

• Have you put a stumbling block in the way of someone following Jesus? If so is there anyway you could make that right?
• How can you make others feel more welcome?

Visit Melissa's Blog: Remember to Breathe. Thanks for the Guest Post!

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