When I mix with people and get to know them better, there is one thing I understand that they really want. One word.
ACCEPTANCE.
They want to be accepted in a world that compares them to the cleverest, most talented, most beautiful, richest, most spiritual, best dressed on the planet.
It’s impossible to live up to that standard.
We never will.
The one thing I have learned:
Acceptance begins at home.
A sad thing happens when we cross from childhood to adolescence. We go from carefree exuberant acceptance of ourselves to the self-absorbed scrutiny of how we perceive that others see us.
Unfortunately, that new and worse off non-acceptance stays with us for decades, possibly until we are old and grey and revert back to a ‘second childhood’. That’s where again nothing matters any more and if we make silly comments or child-like statements, those around smile amused and accept us as sweet old ladies or doddery old men!
I came across this online and it gives a clue to where acceptance should begin – with yourself…
Truth be told, God accepts us as we are – warts and all. He loves us, each one, as individuals. He created us as we are, with our idiosyncrasies. God uses us regardless of our flaws. In fact God may use the very things we see as a weakness to achieve amazing things for His glory. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:27
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
We go through this world as a letter to others – as we need acceptance, so do all those around us – they need unconditional acceptance from us. I think it’s time we stopped trying to change everyone to try and suit ourselves. Let’s just let the other grown-ups in our world enjoy all that God has made them to be. If they are doing things to hurt themselves or others, that’s a different story. However, most times we are critical of others because we think they would be better if they did this or that, wore this or that, spoke like this or that, when really changing them would be trying to make a fish fly.
Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Good lesson for me today.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂