Forgiveness. Tolerance. Acceptance. Three syllables each. Simple concepts.
Humans have been given free will. Why do we use that free will to selectively choose the virtues we want to espouse, rather than embrace and try to achieve them all?
We choose to be generous with our friends, yet mingy with our families. We go to church Sunday mornings and gamble recklessly Sunday night. We forgive a stranger who spills a drink on us, yet our own children we call "clumsy".
We have friends that were once close, but something caused a rift. Do we tell them what the problem is? No, we hit "delete" and remove them from our lives. With our spouses, we walk away and then simmer.
Someone--a friend, a stranger, a person with whom we have had a falling-out; someone who doesn't fit in to the plans we have made-- expresses affection for us, or presents us with an unexpected gift. Do we politely acknowledge? Or do we avoid facing it all together? Do we graciously answer sincerely asked questions, or do we get angry and intolerant, or just ignore them? We just keep hoping it will all go away. It probably will, but first it needs to be looked at with open eyes, an open mind and an open heart.
Tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness are hard sometimes. Losing a friend or family member is harder.
Part of my "turning it over to God" was to ask Him to teach me tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness. It is very difficult with some people. I accept that it will take a lifetime of learning, but if I can make a difference in even ONE person's life, it will be worth it.
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