“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgement on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgement on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself. For it we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, the he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brothers? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us wull give an account of himself to God.”
so I was hanging out with God the other day and we started talking about this passage. Judging and tolerance and acceptance have been things I have been thinking a lot about lately.
I can’t really give details why but if you want to know, just ask me in a text or facebook message or something.
Anyway.
sooooooo I was wondering what all you lovely people think about tolerance and acceptance. Where to draw the line between the two. How to act around people who live their lives in a way that I can tolerate but don’t necessarily accept.
so yea. thoughts? opinions? questions?
love,
j.
The Patio 
when a person tolerates anothers actions, words, beleifs long enough they will become the norm and start accepting the actions, words or beleifs as thier own. when we hang around good people we become a better person, likewise when we hang around those that have chosen a negative path we may be tempted to follow.
now on the other hand…..if we only surround ourselves with good, doin the right thing people we will not be following Jesus teachings or possilbly haviing any positive influence on them.
so basiclly i have not answered your question. Sometimes you have to simply walk away and hope your actions, lifestyle, beleifs catch their attention.
I struggle with this topic every day and try to use the following, albeit simplistic, approach – Judge the Behavior, Not the Person. I try to “accept” the fact that the person is just as much God’s child as am I. And, since others tolerate some of my behavior, I should be willing to do the same. They accept me despite my my faults. However, ones who love me best do not tolerate behavior they deem inappropriate. Most of the time, when they present their perspective, I can then see my error and make the correction. Shawnna, Cliff, and Bud have been wonderful, loving, partners in my life.
As for my “friends”, or acquaintenances – I limit my exposure to those whose behaviors I do not apprreciate. As for the behaviors I cannot limit, I speak up and try to get the person to consider their behavior, and the con sequenses. I may need to bring others into the conversation to work it out. Then again, I don’t accept a compromise that opposes my core values.