Acceptance!

  What is it to be accepted- we are all looking to be accepted. This can happen in all economic and social levels. Acceptance can be a good thing or a negative thing. But it is the driving force of our core center.

  When I look back in my past, this driving force has led me into not always doing the right thing or making the best decisions.

  I see this in very young children. I see children at an early age who are not getting the acceptance they need at home and then seeking it elsewhere.

  I see a little girl who has a very complicated home life. She didn’t have any little “girlfriends” at school, just this little boy “John” was her friend; she liked to play with him. He was her commander, he told her what to do and she did it. Now I don’t know about you but I see this as a big “danger sign” as to what could be lurking ahead- how do we stop this? Another discussion for another time.

  I looked in the back of my bible’s subject index. First subject-guess- acceptance. Yeah, I know, first letter of the alphabet. But it’s the core.

  Let’s look at Matthew 9:9-13(NIV)

  When Jesus invited Matthew the tax collector to follow him, he (Jesus) accepted him-the magical word- if I can say that. Matthew can represent anyone here. We meet people every day; people come and go into our lives and churches. Do we take the time to accept them as they are, Jesus did. Did he not accept you?

   Now let’s be honest! We see some pretty scary looking people- guys with funny hair, make-up, nail polish-looking for acceptance. Would you invite that person to sit with you? If a prostitute were to walk in would we accept her or reject her without knowing anything about her or her story? If the mayor came in would we care anything about him or just accept him because he was the “mayor”? If someone were to come in very well dressed- looking like a person of some importance, then another with dirty clothes and smells- which would you be drawn to? Now are you seeing the picture? Who would Jesus be drawn to?

In Galatians 2:6(NIV). It reads “As for those who seemed to be important- whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance-those men added nothing to my message”.

  We see a single Mom or Dad that has a family trying to do their best, but is drawn to another source “being accepted”- at what cost?

  We see children being put aside because of the lack of commitment and seeking acceptance in all the wrong ways or the need of acceptance takes over from their commitments.

We have Matthews’s everyday in our lives. People of the “unacceptable”. Do we really want to miss out?  If Jesus didn’t accept Matthew – who was despised by many then we would have missed out on the life and work that Matthew did for the kingdom. How many people have we passed by never giving them the time of day? What story is not being completed? What work of the kingdom is not being done?

  What about the single parents, the busy young parents, the widows, the singles. While the rest of us do our thing, concerning ourselves with the “clique” we are involved in. Not reaching out to others outside our circle.

  Sometimes it’s sad to see people making plans of going or getting together at somebody’s house and doing  it right in front of you without thinking of including you. Oh right, not part of the “clique”! Does this remind you of grade school? When everyone is invited to the party, but not you.

  What about the one that is always called upon to do meals for someone that is in need or sick? Then when that person is down and the tables are turned, no one bothers to worry about doing meals for them. If that person were to slip through the cracks, would anybody care, or would the only care be now who are we going to get to do the meals?

  Or, it’s Mother’s Day, what about that young single mom that’s doing her best to serve the Lord and be a good parent to her young children? Would we take the time to accept her and give her a card or do something special for her? Just to make her feel special!

  We will be drawn to where we are accepted.

  Are we truly being like Jesus? I think we let too many loop holes go by. Too many Matthews slip through the doors of our lives.

  Aren’t you glad we were accepted and not forgotten by our heavenly Father?