Matthew 10: 41 Whoever accepts a prophet because he is a prophet will get the same reward a prophet gets. And whoever accepts a godly person just because that person is godly will get the same reward a godly person gets.
Jesus is sending his disciples out into Israel to teach and heal. He tells them to carry nothing, to be smart like snakes (because of the evil they will encounter), but also harmless like doves. He says the "shake the dust off your feet" remark about towns that don't welcome them. And he concludes with this thought.
Accepting other Christians is not as easy as it sounds. I may believe that a person has true faith, but that doesn't mean we won't have our differences. It could be a different interpretation of God's word; that's almost inevitable. It could also be a clash of personality. I need to remember to honor all people of faith, because my Saviour tells me to do that.
Prayer: Help me to recognize Your faithful people whenever I encounter them. I want to interact with Your people as a Christian sister should. I respect faith, and my words and actions should reflect my respect when I encounter Your people.
Amen
Now I wonder about the implications of this for nonbelievers who accept people of faith. Does this mean that our witness is even more important since we are potentially giving them all the blessings we enjoy, if only they accept us because they see God in us?
ReplyDeleteI stirred up controversy by equating pro-life stances with the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. I ran into an acquaintance who challenged that. As a convert to Catholicism, he and his wife practice "natural birth control" only. I respect his dedication, but I am afraid that he might not be as tolerant to the majority of Catholics who use different means.
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