Accepted and Accepting
Scripture
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
—Romans 15:5–7 (NLT)
Let’s be honest: not everyone is easy to get along with. Some people are just plain difficult. And if we’re really honest, we have to admit we can be that difficult person for someone else. Paul understood this reality of human relationships. That’s why he didn’t just tell the Romans to try harder, he prayed that God, the very source of patience and encouragement, would empower them to live in complete harmony.
Living in harmony doesn’t mean we all become the same or agree on every little thing. It means our unity in Jesus becomes more important than our personal preferences or opinions. This is one of the most beautiful and compelling witnesses of the church: people from different backgrounds, cultures, and personalities, all bound together by their shared love for Christ.
Paul’s instruction is the very heart of the gospel lived out in community: “accept each other just as Christ has accepted you.” Do you remember the love and grace Christ has extended to you? We came to Jesus with our flaws, our failures, our messy histories, and He welcomed us.
“My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.”¹
—Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
That is the acceptance Paul is talking about, unearned, undeserved, and complete. When we are secure in that kind of unconditional love, we are freed to offer it to others. This is why our acceptance of one another is so much more than just being nice, it’s a vital act of worship. When we extend the same welcome to others that Christ has given us, it brings glory to God. So look for that person today, the one who is hardest to love, and offer them the same grace Christ has already given you.
Reflection
- Who in your life is the most challenging for you to live in harmony with right now?
- How does remembering God’s unconditional acceptance of you change the way you view them?
- What is one specific step you can take today to “accept” someone just as Christ has accepted you?
Prayer
Ask God to fill you with the patience and encouragement you need to live in harmony with others. Thank Him for the grace He has shown you, and pray for the strength to extend that same acceptance to those around you.
Footnote:
¹ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out (Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2008), 19.