Scripture: Romans 15:7, 1 Peter 3:8
On my first day of kindergarten I met a girl at the bus stop who quickly became my best friend. We were the same age and had close proximity to one another. That was all it took to make an instant connection. WhenI was young, acceptance came easily. There was no worry about what we were wearing, what our houses
looked like, or anything else. We were simply looking for a playmate.
I often wonder when this effortless acceptance and vulnerability shifts. At what age do we start judging others and abandon our carefree attitude toward them? Seemingly it happens early and almost overnight. Suddenly who we associate with begins to matter on a greater scale. How we dress, what neighborhood we live in, and who we know gives us a particular standing within our schools and communities.
In this world where temporary, outward appearances seem to matter at such a deep level, how can we teach children where their acceptance lies? Ultimately their acceptance lies in the God who created them, and in Jesus who died for them. Perhaps if we continually strive to show love and acceptance to those we come in contact with it would be a good start. Our love and acceptance is a reflection of the deep affection God has for us. Romans 15:7 says, “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”
Christ was willing to die for us, despite knowing our deepest flaws. He fully loves and accepts us right where we are. Looking at acceptance through this lens should make it easy for us to accept others. We are all sinful and flawed people. It is so difficult for us to remember this! God deserves all the glory when a flawed human being seeks to understand rather than judge. God is glorified when someone shows love and kindness to others despite seemingly insurmountable differences.
Training up a new generation to accept one another in the way God intends is no small task. It is essential for all of us to consider how we can be models of true, unselfish acceptance toward those we encounter on a daily basis.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me be a vessel of your love and acceptance. Open my heart wide to the needs of the child I mentor. Give me eyes to see the areas in which they are in need of acceptance. Help them feel your presence strongly and learn to look to you when the world tells them they aren’t good enough. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak into the life of one of your precious children.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Heather Henry lives in Minnesota with her husband Eric and their three children. She is the Children’s Ministry Director at Hope Fellowship in Ramsey, MN. Heather is a recent graduate of Bethel Seminary with a degree in children’s and family ministry.