Tolerant Tuesday

The Daily Kindness Challenge

In your patience possess ye your souls. 
~ Luke 21:19

Tolerant Tuesday is all about patience and understanding! One definition of the word tolerate is to accept or endure (something or someone unpleasant or disliked) with forbearance (polite, patient restraint).  I love what Jesus said in the scripture above. In our patience, we possess our souls. It is a key to self-control. So often, when we lose our patience, kindness gets lost with it.

The first part of Tuesday's challenge is to keep your patience to the best of your ability. I'll admit, I'm worried about this one. Lately, my patience has not been what it used to be. But, I know the Bible says that the Lord's strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I look forward to His strength today.

The other part of our challenge is to be more understanding of people. Show kindness when you disagree or when someone rubs you the wrong way. Put yourself in their shoes. Stand on Boo Radley's porch. Treat them the way you would like to be treated. 

(Warning: Soapbox Rant ahead)

I get so riled up when I hear Christians say that we aren't to be tolerant of other peoples' differing lifestyles or beliefs. #1 - Jesus treated people with kindness, despite their beliefs and sins. For an example, check out John 4. Jesus spoke kindly to the Samaritan woman at the well; more concerned with showing her love and truth than correcting her sins. #2 - You don't have to agree with someone to be kind to them. Like the definition of tolerate says: accept or endure with forbearance. If you can't accept, at least endure with polite, patient restraint. #3 -We "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) So folks need to get off their high horses and demonstrate some brotherly love! I could go on, but....

(End of Soapbox Rant) :)

Yes, I know, I need to be patient and understanding of those who aren't there yet. Touché, Lord.

Here are two more scriptures to strengthen you today:

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 
~ James 1:4

And may the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded toward one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one mind and one mouth you may glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. 

~ Romans 15:5-7

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be such a wonderful example of kindness. Thank you for the Gospels and the men who wrote them, so that we could be blessed by Jesus' ministry. I ask for Your strength today to help me be patient, understanding, and kind in the face of challenging situations and people. Help me to possess my soul through patience. Help me to be kindly tolerant of people who live and believe differently from me. Help me to see them through Your loving eyes. I pray this for myself and for each person taking the challenge today. Amen.