THE VIRTUE OF ACCEPTANCE – Not being a ‘taker of faces’
Virtues are at the core of our character, and character ultimately determines destiny. The more we acknowledge the potential impact that practicing virtues can have on our lives, and the lives of those around us, the more we will seek to grow in this regard. But, and this is an important BUT, we need to discern between structural virtues – those virtues that SECURE what we believe – and decorative virtues – those virtues that DISPLAY what we believe.
In a sense, our faith is like a building, an exhibition for all to see. We can have sound structural foundations with solid walls and a secure roofing, but if the exterior is ugly, it will not attract people. The opposite is also true. If we have a beautiful building but the premises are unsafe and structurally weak, people will also not enter. Once we secured the building blocks of our faith – our structural virtues – we need to add beauty. If we seek to beautify a building, we start by painting the walls. This is not about securing the structure or the foundation but the impression we leave for those who pass by.
Structural virtues are virtues like faith, truth, justice, righteousness, commitment, perseverance, and countless more. Our faith will not survive the storms of life if these virtues are not in place. These are critical for our personal growth and endurance. But, simply having our structural virtues in place is not enough. This is why Peter encourages the Church to make every effort to ADD to their faith virtues that will reflect the beauty of a loving Saviour[1]
These virtues are not there to sustain our personal relationship with Christ but to reflect it. It becomes the mirror of our souls.
This blog aims to explore the often-neglected decorative virtues, not the over-emphasised structural virtues. How to display the beauty of Christ in a broken world and insalt our communities.
[1] 2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
So, let’s start with the first virtue:
ACCEPTANCE
Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God
“God is not partial – He doesn’t show favouritism” said Peter with a deep conviction. (Acts 10:34, 35.) But Peter shared this teaching in a most unusual setting—it was in the home of a Gentile named Cornelius. Peter, born a Jew, lived at a time when Jews viewed Gentiles as unclean and thus unacceptable for any kind of fellowship.
Peter was only in Cornelius’ home after he received a divine vision in which he was told: “You stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.” God arranged this meeting and Peter first had to be insalted with the virtue of accepting what he deemed unacceptable. Unknown to Peter, a day earlier, Cornelius had also received a vision, in which an angel directed him to summon Peter. (Acts 10:1-15)
When Peter recognized the Lord’s voice, he could not hold back from speaking. “I now realize,” said Peter, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.“
The Greek word rendered “partial” literally means “taker of faces.” Regarding this term, one scholar explains: “It refers to a judge who looks at a man’s face and renders a verdict, not in accord with the merits of the case, but according as he likes or dislikes the man.”
God is not a ‘taker of faces’ and neither should we be. God does not favour one face over another because of race, nationality, social standing, or any other external factors.
So, let’s be brutally honest. If you have a problem with another race, other cultures, or other languages, you’re in trouble. If you only fellowship amongst your own people and don’t like to worship in a language other than your own, you’re going to find heaven challenging – and hell even more so.
The book of Revelation[1] reveals heaven as a cosmopolis – a gathering of people from all nations, all tribes, all cultures and all languages. If you battle to deal with gatherings of this nature on earth, you will have to intentionally start preparing for heaven by accepting the differences in other people.
Acceptance means to welcome someone who is different from you, not only tolerate people, but extend the holiest sense of grace to them.
Acceptance is expressing a resilient and abiding meekness to others even in the presence of that which is culturally different and even sometimes offensive. It’s more than just welcoming, it’s embracing the widow, touching the leper, stopping for the blind man, entering the home of the tax collector, talking to the Samaritan woman. Jesus displayed the truth that God does not favour anyone but loves everyone.
We cannot embrace Jesus if we find it offensive to accept some of the least in the eyes of man.
Are you gracious in accepting other opinions, other convictions and other people who differ from you?
[1] Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
From the book INsalted – you can order your copy from Mike at: thirdwayinfo@gmail.com