Tolerance is the in thing isn't it. You tolerate my views and I'll tolerate your views. Unless that is you happen to be a Christian, this week saw Christians phoning in to express their views on adoption belittled and ridiculed on a BBC radio phone in show. It appears we, as a society, tolerate anything unless you happen to disagree with certain things.
What does the Bible have to say about it? Expect it! It is normal for those who hold out the word of life, who share the gospel, who seek to stand up for what God has revealed about himself and us and the best way to live to be treated like that. It makes me wonder why I am always so surprised by others intolerant reactions, rather than seeing it for the encouragement that it is.
We are not to provoke intolerance, we are to be gentle and loving in the way we do things but we are to stand for truth and we are to expect a reaction against that truth.
2 comments:
BUt how do we display the 'gentle and loving' without being a doormat to people and when we are met with 'bullying' and disrespectufl attitudes'?
How did Jesus do so? There were times when he stood up to the Pharisees but ultimately his response was always governed by obedience to the Father. The challenge for us is to be motivated in our responses by the same motivation, not by pride or anger which are so often my downfall.
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