How To Accept Others

"Be humble, kind, patient, and bear with one another in love. Make every effort to keep among you the unity of Spirit through bonds of peace." - Ephesians 4:2-3


I'm an idealist. I take everything for face value and have often been called näive. Honestly, I believe everyone should be able to get along, speak openly and understand one another and it's been super painful to realize that this isn't the case, especially within families. I was reading Ephesians one day and came across this verse above. I was so struck by the word "bear." Saint Paul says we have to bear with one another. Me, being an idealist, thought to myself, "why bear? They were Christians! They're supposed to love each other and everything is supposed to be great!"But obviously, it wasn't if Paul had to address this issue.

And I'm coming to realize that people will always have issues with others, no matter how much love there is. We are all different, and that's ok because it's the way God made us. Some of us are punctual, some of us are always late, but either way, God made us all in those ways. We, and I do this a lot, tend to judge and think that if something isn't my way, then the other person is wrong. I've learned I have to grow as a person and understand that I'm not right all the time and I need to stretch and accept others the way they are. That's why Paul says to bear, because there will always be issues, differences, misunderstandings, but at the end of the day, we need to work in peace to find a solution. We need to treat others with kindness and try our best to understand and accept others for who they are. We need to learn to bear with one another, even when they're not stretching for us.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to my own injustices. Thank You for teaching me to understand that different isn't wrong and I'm not always right. I pray that You bring this deep understanding to others so that we may all treat one another with kindness and learn to bear with one another in peace. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Accepting Ourselves

"But because you are almighty, you are merciful to all; you overlook sins and give your children time to repent. You love everything that exists and hate nothing that you have made; had you hated anything, you would not have formed it. How could anything endure if you did not will it? And how could anything last that you had not willed? You have compassion on all because all is yours, O Lord, lover of life." - Wisdom 11:23-26

I was of the mind that God is so holy and we are always lacking in faithfulness, therefore are always sinning. I wondered to myself who would ever be pure enough to really walk with Jesus. I wondered what God thought of me and all the sins I commit time after time, and I would feel bad, so guilty before the Lord. Not at all worthy to even keep following Him. This verse was part of today's reading in mass and I felt God speak to me through it. It's one of the most beautiful things I have ever read in the bible. It tells us that beyond everything, even our wickedness, the Lord is good, kind, merciful, loving, and He waits for us to return to Him, with patience and understanding. For all the times I would feel such guilt before Him, like I am not worthy of Him, this verse tells us that He created us and sees us for what we are. The good and the bad, and He still loves us regardless. And if He didn't see good and love in who we are right now, as evil as we can be, He wouldn't allow us to keep existing because He loves what He creates and destroys that which He hates. We tend to be harder on ourselves and judge ourselves more severely than God Himself. I guess it's His will for me to be the sinner that I am now and that it's all part of His plan. But regardless, even if we're saints or sinners, His love is bigger than anything we've done or can do.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank You for loving me and accepting me as I am. I am Your beloved child, and as I am, You have called me and love me. In Your Name we pray, amen.