Acceptance In Action

This week we are exploring the five skills necessary to have a healthy relationship. Today we are talking about Acceptance, but not just acceptance which does not require much, but acceptance in action.

The Bible reports that Jesus took action to display love to his disciples. He is quoted Acts 20:35 as saying , "It is better to give than receive." In other scriptures Jesus and the disciples show that their actions are how they will be "known" and that through sacrifice other's can understand the depth of one's love. Jesus also referenced the second of 10 Commandments in Mark 12:31, "The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.” If we are commanded to love our neighbor, how much more love should we display and accept in our own families?

Throughout the book of James (2:14; 2:20; 2:26) are scriptures that reference how faith is only realized through actions. How can someone know you "believe" in them if you have no faith they can change, gain no wisdom to understand, and have no desire to accept them for who they are? The Serenity Prayer indicates that we must accept the things we can change, accept the things we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference. Acceptance requires us to first acknowledge and then do something positive, or stop something negative, because of the new knowledge we have gained.

Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper (photo) displays Jesus' love for his disciples as he prepares them for his ultimate sacrifice through his death on the cross for the sins of the world. Consider the sacrifices you could make for your family and how trivial your complaints are when asked to do the dishes, take out the trash, clean your room, or spend time with your family. Accept that love is not just words, but the actions to support those words.

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.

And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Acts 20:35

If you'd like to learn how to live intentional, check out my book of the same name: Live Intention. Live the life you always wanted, but never believed you could. Available at Barns and Noble, Amazon, and iTunes https://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=live-intentional