Accept One Another August 21, 2017

Big Point: Doing life alone is deadly. God desires community for us.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7

Oprah Winfrey is ranked as the richest woman of the 20th century, and some even say is the most influential woman in the world. But she has confessed, “I discovered that I didn’t feel worth a (blank), and certainly not worthy of love, unless I was accomplishing something. I suddenly realized that I have never felt I could be loved for just being.”

Madonna is the top-earning female singer in the world with an estimated net worth of over $325 million, but she lamented in Vogue magazine: “Even though I’ve become somebody, I still have to prove that I’m somebody. My struggle has never ended, and it probably never will.”

Is it any wonder Jesus followers are commanded to accept others? Feeling accepted or welcomed as I am is uncommon. To accept means “to receive wholeheartedly, to warmly welcome to yourself, to grant admission into your heart, to look beyond anything superficial and to be willing and open to build relationships.”

Acceptance means to welcome someone who is different from you. The key phrase for understanding and practicing this command is the phrase, “just as Christ accepted you.” Christ is our standard—we are to accept others just as He accepted us. According to Romans 5:8 the Bible says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It was and is Jesus’ nature to love the unlovable. His loving acceptance is able to distinguish who we are from what we have done. While we are still dirty and sinful, He accepts and loves us. It is how He draws us and heals us.

It is our job and opportunity as His followers as well. “We experience God’s power to heal souls through our compassionate, authentic relationships with others.” – Dr. Larry Crabb

• What was wrong with you when Jesus found and accepted you?
• Ask God to help you grow a more welcoming heart, especially toward anyone or groups of people you tend to resist.