Teach Tolerance - Overcome Hatred With Love

      

All day, my facebook newsfeed was riddled with posts about Paula Deen, the Duck Dynasty dude, the CEO of Chic Fila, the ku klux klan, muslims killing Christians and all sorts of vile statements and acts, all for the sake of what one believes. The common denominator has been hatred, but the antidote is love. The Bible tells us to "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21. The Lord appeared to Jeremiah (3:31) and said " I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." That must be our posture in the midst of all this hatred. We CANNOT spread hate under the guise of religion and evangelism. 

I am a Christian, a follower of Christ! I'll shout it from the mountain tops and tell it everywhere I go! "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" Romans 1:16 But being Pro-Christian is not the same as being Anti-Everything else. Not acceptance, but tolerance. I must still respect people with opposing views. Yes, I'd love to spread the gospel, tell of my loving Savior who died to set us all free, and convert non-believers. But at the end of the day, it's their choice to make. That's why God gave us something called Free Will. All I can do is plant seeds, someone else will water them (hopefully), and God will get the increase. 

I know we want to save the world. God does too. It's His desire that none of us perish (2 Peter 3:9). But Matthew 7 tells us that the way to destruction is broad, but narrow are the gates to heaven. Not everyone will make it in. And it's not up to us to decide who gets in and who doesn't. We must work out our OWN soul salvation with fear and trembling, lest we be like the 5 foolish brides in Matthew 25, unprepared for the bridegroom's return (and they were believers)! 

The Bible's instructions to us are clear...LOVE! And lift Jesus up. HE will draw all men unto Him. He doesn't need our help! He doesn't need us to DRAG or BELITTLE or BERATE all men until they come crawling to Jesus because of guilt and shame. Just keep loving until we love the hell right out of them! ;-)
#TeachTolerance
#TeachTheLoveOfChrist <3

   

Sharon C.

12/21/13