Approved and Accepted?

Recently I was asked to share briefly with a group of young moms. I wasn't the main speaker. I'd just been asked to come answer a few questions. I arrived early only to find no one wanted to talk with me. Oh there were a few who responded when I took the initiative but it was obvious they were just being nice and after answering a few questions left to talk with their friends. Not one person was excited to talk with me. In fact one asked, "Have you been able to meet people your own age?"

How did this make me feel? Embarrassed, unwanted, very alone... I spent the first 45 minutes on the verge of tears fighting the urge to just leave. I hadn't even wanted to come in the first place! Situations like this are hard enough when you are hearing impaired.

But Jesus wanted me there, so I was there. He wanted me to remain, so I stayed. But it sure wasn't easy!

You better believe I was praying James 1:5 whenever I was asked to answer a question! And true to His promise, the Lord provided the wisdom and words to encourage these moms.

Afterwards many came up to give me big hugs and tell me how much they benefitted from what I shared. One even said, "I would so love to sit at your feet and listen to you!" and I thought, "You wouldn't even talk to me an hour ago!"

The next morning I woke pondering this, asking the Lord to help me understand. He led me to look up the word "accept." It comes from Latin ad = to, capere= take, and literally means "to take to oneself." And I thought, that's it! Even those who interacted with me at the beginning, they didn't take me to themselves. There wasn't any connection, or even interest in forging one.... not until after I spoke and they saw there might be some value in knowing me.

Only after I was approved was I accepted.

The word approve means "to believe that something is good or acceptable." It's archaic meaning is to prove or demonstrate.

After I proved I had some value, I was approved - the women believed that I was good - and then accepted me - eagerly "took me to their hearts."

I hadn't changed - but when their perception of me changed, did that ever impact their actions.

And I wonder - how many times do I do this too?

In Romans 15:7 we are told, "Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God."

How did Christ accept us?

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He took us to himself, when there was nothing lovable or even desirable about us. While we were still his enemies!

Do you see grace here?!

One of my friends recently shared in her blog (Echoes of Grace) about brown paper packages (remember how they are mentioned in the Sound of Music?!) and did that ever get me thinking...

Brown paper packages don't look like much. How could they have been one of Fraulein Maria's favorite things?! Because she had the expectation that something desirable was inside!

In Psalm 139:14 David writes, "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well."

And I wonder - when I first meet people do I have that expectancy that because they are a wonderful work of God there is treasure inside, even though all I may see at first is the brown paper packaging?

And considering all believers have the Holy Spirit inside - you are guaranteed to find treasure if you take the time to listen!

But here's the interesting thing - acceptance doesn't necessarily require something first be good. It can also mean "Willing to tolerate a difficult or unpleasant situation."

Could it be we tend to hold people at a distance when we first meet them because we are afraid they might prove difficult or unpleasant? We don't want to risk getting too close until we know we're safe?!

May I learn to accept others, to really take them to myself, when I first meet them in order to bring glory to God. How can this be? Because when I accept others, before they've ever proved themselves, I am visually illustrating what God does with all of us!

Not being accepted felt awful! I am so thankful Jesus never treats me this way! May I learn to accept people graciously, even when all I see is brown paper packaging!