ACCEPTANCE
One of the most difficult things in life is accepting what
can’t be changed. How often in life have
we wanted to go back ten minutes and not say the words that changed
everything? We agonize over what we did
wrong, or forgot to do, or refused to do making our lives and/or the lives of
others worse. Too often, I suspect. But the one immutable fact is that once
changed, things are not the same nor will they be. The first step is Acceptance and it is a big
one as the old joke says. The Apostles
in Jerusalem, who had no instruction manual to go by, worked to spread the
Gospel and in doing so devised a structure for the fledgling church, which they
believed to be correct. Along comes Paul
and his band of gentiles, every bit as committed to Christ as the Christians of
Palestine and the carefully laid plan hit a stone wall. St. Luke has spared us the details of the
fight that ensued but be sure there was a fight. Everyone thinks they are correct and that the
other side is just stubborn or stupid or both.
I have no doubt that some of those who opposed the gentiles could quote
multiple scripture passages to support their stance. Many would conclude that the Church was
doomed to failure if their view was unsupported and so, unwilling to accept the
change, walked away. It’s comforting in a way to know that even those closest
to Christ had to struggle with acceptance to accommodate one another. Peter and
Paul would require the disciples in Jerusalem to look at the gentiles in a new
way after centuries of discrimination. Should they make it too difficult be a
follower of Christ? Should they impose
on strangers their way of life or should they let the Spirit guide? That is what they did. They prayed for guidance from the Spirit and
waited for it. When it came, they
accepted it. That method is rock solid and incidentally is the reason we are
Christians.
With love, Carol
No comments:
Post a Comment