Thought of the Day !!

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

                              Romans 15:7 (NLT)

When you read a sentence that begins with a word like "therefore" you know that something important came before it.  In this case Paul has been teaching that with God's help we should strive to live in harmony with each other.  Honestly, we fall so short of this so often.  Could it be that we really don't want God to help us because we really don't want to live in harmony with some people?

I know this last sentence must sound strange to you, but think about it.  Are there other people in your church or your family or down the street that you would rather avoid than have to spend time with being in "harmony"?  Are those who think differently from you and are as passionate about their beliefs as you are about yours ones you really want to accept "as Christ has accepted you"?

Sadly I've seen my share of people in churches who are strong willed and demand things go their way or else someone will pay (often times the pastor).  Why is it that we have to seek our own will over anybody else?  Why do we try to find satisfaction in having things done our own way instead of finding it in the bringing of glory to God?

Let us strive to be less divisive and more accepting of each other.  Let us learn to love those we disagree with and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us all of where we are wrong.  Let us go to Jesus today asking for help in accepting others as he did "so that God will be given glory."

In the love of Christ,

greg