May God, who gives this
patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each
other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
~Romans 15:5-7
I like to sing....but only in the car when I am alone and the windows are up. I like to sing Joe Walton's "Rocky Mountain Way" or "Seven Bridges Road" by the Eagles or "Holiday Road" from the movie 'Vacation'. And there's a reason I am alone in the car and the windows are up, and it's because I sing very badly.
Have you ever heard a group sing and none of them were singing the same song? I will be honest, one Sunday morning my bride and I were attending services and there was a lovely young lady seated behind us who was a true delight to talk to, but singing was not among her gifts. But she would make her joyful noise loudly and with all the gusto her spirit had been filled with.
Now consider this: Each of us is a part in God's harmony called "creation." And if we aren't helping join the harmony we are destroying the harmony! We destroy this harmony with our attitudes, anger, hatred, disrespect of others, and believing that we are the only ones who matter. But look at what the Apostle Paul says: "ACCEPT each other just as Christ accepted you!" So it's not about you! It's about the fact that God has accepted and welcomed you through Christ! So how can we do differently and call ourselves Believers?
And just so you know, the Apostle Paul was not the ghastly white six foot Adonis depicted in the stained glass windows. Paul was Turkish (being from Tarsus) and was considered small (5' - 5'2") even for his time. Paul was also stooped and almost blind due to his occupation as a tentmaker (very intensely delicate and tedious work). Would you accept such a person? Or are looks the only standard of acceptance used?
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