Accept one another, then...

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15:7

Amazing to think that I can bring praise to God just by accepting another person as Christ accepts me! How does this happen? How can this be?

What does it mean to "accept" someone?

Now what the NIV translates as "accept" the ESV translates as "welcome" and the KJV says "receive." The Greek word literally means "to receive to oneself, admit to one's society and fellowship, receive and treat with kindness."

When I think of the word welcome, two thoughts come to mind. One is excitedly opening the door to let in a dear friend you are eager to see. Another is smiling with gritted teeth, saying "won't you please come in" while you hope futilely they won't. What makes the difference? The way I perceive who is standing in front of me and what the time will be like - which can depend on them or on me. If it's easy, I'm all for it!

In general, I love people. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. So when do I not give an eager welcome? When I'm tired, busy or have past experiences with them that weren't so great. So basically I like to welcome people I've had good experiences with, but not those I haven't. Why? Because usually that results in a comfortable, enjoyable time.

Who do I dread meeting the most? Those who are highly needy with no sense of boundaries! Why? Because it's hard for me to say no and to handle those types of people. Those are the ones I groan inwardly even when I do open that front door.

So how can accepting them bring praise to God?!!!

I've got to get this down before I'm going to want to open the door, let alone be eager about it!

I think I better back up and first consider, what does it mean to bring praise to God?

Note that this word in the KJV is translated "glory." It comes from the word dokeo which means to think or recognize. God's glory is who He really is and to give glory to him is to recognize who He really is. (ok this is really simplified, for a better understanding go to Spiros Zodhiates' Complete Word Study Dictionary p. 478-481 and you can read four pages covering this one word!)

So how can my accepting others the way Christ accepted me bring glory to God?

By helping me as well as others recognize who God truly is.

So consider... how does Christ accept me?

It cost Jesus dearly to accept me. Pain, suffering, sacrifice. It was not easy. While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. He saved me "not because of righteous deeds I had done but because of his mercy..." He died for me while I was his enemy.

Not even for Jesus was acceptance an easy thing! Wow! That's pretty sobering to remember. So why should I expect it to be easy? And feel justified in not doing it when it's not?!

Now here's the kicker - when I accept others I have the opportunity to discover how incredibly hard it is to do this, and that gives me opportunity to catch a tiny glimpse of what it cost Jesus to do this. As I recognize what a monumental task this is I can better appreciate not only what it cost Him to do this for me and with me, but also who He is to be able to do something so incredible as this for all believers all through time! Wow! What an amazing God!

But if I only accept those who are easy and enjoyable to be with when they are kind to me and when it's convenient to me, I am totally going to miss out on recognizing this aspect of who God is.

I've heard it said the harder something is the more clearly you can see God's hand in it! :0) Which would then imply those people who are most difficult for me to "accept" or truly receive with joy - well, those are my best opportunities for discovering as well as displaying who God really is - and the tremendous difference He's making in my life!

In The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Spiros Zodhiates writes, "The predominate meaning of the noun doxa in Scripture is recognition. It may denote form, aspect, or that appearance of a person or thing which catches the eye, attracts attention, or commands recognition." (p.479) Whenever we see someone bless someone who really deserves to be yelled at or shunned, does it ever attract our attention. Whenever we see someone be kind to someone who has really hurt them, does that ever catch our eye!

When I fail to do this, I live out the truth of Romans 3:23 falling short of the glory of God - I'm not being what God intended me to be. I lack his character and fail to image Him.

Which is exactly why it was so costly for Jesus to accept me! But thank God He did!

Ok I'm convinced and off to answer the door... and I actually have a willing heart, eager to see what I'll learn through this! That in itself is a miracle!

Thank you Lord!