Loving and Accepting Others

Happy Valentine’s Day! This article is all about love, so enjoy!

Do you have trouble loving others who may be doing things that are unacceptable to you? Do you tend to judge or think thoughts like, “I would never behave like that?”

I never knew how to love others right where they were at. I wanted people to “get their acts together and turn from their sin immediately.” God has taught me it is not always as easy for people to give up their drug of choice, their sexually immoral lifestyle, or whatever sin they may be wrapped in.

BUT if we can get honest for a moment, we all have things in our lives that God is working on, the only difference is some sin you can see in the open and that’s the sin that is judged-open sin. Why? It’s right there in your face so you can theorize why people do what they do. However, is hidden sin or sin that you keep secret different? I should say not, but far too may Christians live one way in “church” and another way behind closed doors. As Christians if we want to be an example of Christ’s love, we need to stop judging where people are at in their lives.

So, what does accepting and loving others look like in a compromising culture?

1.      You never compromise with the sin, such as if a person has trouble with gambling you should not go to the casino with that person, or if your sibling who is unmarried wants to bring their boyfriend to an overnight visit, you should politely decline but have them over for dinner instead.

2.      Do not judge why someone does what they do. Judging means you place assumption over a person’s behavior and actions. Do you ever really know why a person does what they do? Unless you plan on developing intimate relationships and getting to know the why behind why others do what they do-don’t falsely pass wrong convictions.

3.      Never, ever shun someone (reject, belittle, talk down to) someone who lives and behaves differently than you, even the ones who you just cannot wrap your mind around why they behave the way that they do.

4.      Spend time with the person or people whom you would rather judge. Be the light to them. Be an influence for good. Speak words of edification, life, and encouragement over them. Build them up, not tear them down with your words.

5.      Don’t “preach”, give “scriptures”, or continually invite them to your church. There is a time and a place for this, but most people are “checking” you out at first and want to know they can trust you and that you are the “real deal.”

6.      Always find ways to point them to Jesus, preferably with your actions more than your words.

7.      Always believe God can touch and heal the person that is far away from God.

For many people that are away from God or doing repulsive things in the sight of God usually stems from a wound issue in their past, or issues with their father that have not been resolved. Be gentle, loving and always show the way to the Truth by your example of the Light.