Respect vs. Acceptance

Hey Readers! Welcome back to another blog! Let’s jump right in.

With this entry, I wanted to create the conversation around the Christian perspective when it comes to respecting others and accepting others. This particular topic of discussion has peaked my interest for a couple of months now but I can’t say that I’ve garnered the language to be able to communicate exactly how I should go about having it. What’s prompted me to attempt to begin a conversation is a small gesture that I witnessed online between a very respectable pastor that I know and love. Because I understand the sensitivity of this topic, I want to preface that this entry is not me professing to have the answers to the questions that will be proposed here but rather me fleshing out what I know thus far and have yet to know as a believer. I want to understand. I want to create the conversation and so here we are.

For context, as I was scrolling online one morning, I saw a post that was made by a beloved Christian pastor of mine to the Islamic community. In short, the post wished the Islamic community a blessed Ramadan. He went on to acknowledge his respects for the dedication and devotion they have to their religion and how much his own faith in God teaches him to love his neighbors and to pursue peace. He ended the post with a small prayer that their homes be filled with peace, their fasting strengthens their devotion, and that this Ramadan would bring them renewed joy. The post has since gotten a flood of likes and a few comments that were mostly positive in nature seemingly from both Muslims and Christians. When I read this post, I was perplexed. I was perplexed because I know this pastor personally and have a deep respect for what God is doing in his life. At the same time, I was not sure if praying for Ramadan to bring the Islamic community renewed joy, peace and a strengthened devotion to their god was appropriate from the Christian perspective because their god, from our biblical viewpoint, is not considered the true God who holds and otherwise is peace and joy.

Some questions that popped up for me were things like: (1) Are we (Christians) allowed to extend prayers in this way to nonbelievers? (2) Is it considered unloving to not hope these things for them but instead, pray that the God of the Bible would intervene as they walk their journey? (3) Is the “love our neighbors as ourselves” scripture referring just to the respecting of another person’s existence and beliefs opposite of ours or must we take the extra step to both respect and accept them in order to exemplify the love of God? I could go down a snowball of questions but I think the ultimate question is (4) WHAT DOES THE LOVE OF GOD LOOK LIKE?

When I think about God’s love, I think about John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I also think about “John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Both of these scriptures spoke loudly to me in the moments my head began to wonder. Both scriptures are pointing to Jesus and who he was. When I look at His life, yes, he spoke to and ate with every kind of person. He went on in ministry healing, praying, delivering everyone and speaking the words that God told him to speak and to share. Jesus was and is God in the flesh; therefore all that He says and did was God interacting with His creation out of love. I know that much. In this instance, I suppose it’s the prayer that I am struggling with and not so much the acknowledgement of the pastor’s post to the Islamic community. I DO believe in making sure that everyone around me feels seen and that they are respected as image bearers everywhere that I go. It is something God has brought to my attention because in order to do what He’s called me to do, I have to understand that. No one is an alien, we are all image bearers and deserve to be respected because God has created all of us.

With that in mind, I want to say that the discussion of respect versus acceptance is not an isolated discussion between Christianity and other religions. It can be applied to the identity politics we see in today’s society. The many alternative lifestyles that are prevalent now more than ever can also be included here. Some topics include individuals who share different political viewpoints than you do, individuals who choose to express their romance through polyamory instead of monogamy and in marriage, individuals a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals who identify as Furreys ect. ect. No matter the kind of person you encounter in this life, we as Christians, still need the Holy Spirit to help us navigate how to love on them in a way that allows a proper introduction to the King of Kings.

Is there a line between respecting people of all walks of life and accepting people’s various walks of life? Or are they one in the same? Are you disrespecting someone by not accepting the lifestyle they currently choose to live?

When I look at the Apostle Paul, I think about 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside of the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in the blessings.”

This scripture to me, in what I’ve come to know about it thus far, is speaking more about building rapport with people before sharing the Gospel with them and less about bending the knee at everyone’s particular lifestyle, that in turn, dishonors God. I believe the pastor referenced in the scenario above had this in mind because I know him to be an honorable man. The scenario just made me scratch my head and it actually made me pray and talk to God about my feelings because I know that I haven’t always represented Him well, but it is my desire to do so. Can I speak for what God has put on this pastor’s heart to do? NO. There could be a soul that God wants to touch, and that particular person or people may have needed to see that he sees them and is recognizing them where they are. It’s not my business to know what God has told someone else to do or what assignments he has given someone else (though there are prophets who God makes it their business and sends them to give messages). I just want to start the conversation.

As for me, I am still praying. I have family that are a part of all kinds of religions, and I know people who are living alternative lives. I am intentional about checking my heart, watching my actions and reactions when I am in their presence as to not make them feel uncomfortable with mine. At the same time, I reserve the right to my own beliefs and faith and pray that I am standing ten toes down on what I know to be true because let’s face it…the Gospel is offensive enough lol. I don’t have all of the answers but I can share that I make it a point to make sure every human being feels seen when they interact with me. In my longer interactions, I look for ways to introduce the Gospel as well. When I don’t see one, I pray and wait for the next reaction to present a way and go from there. I am not perfect. I have chickened out a few times and had to repent afterwards…but I am intentional about telling people the good news.

I read an article once that said, “The goal of a Christian is to be inoffensive in every way except in the matter of the cross…we cannot water it down.” The only other time I notice myself getting really “turnt up” for Christ is when I encounter spiritualists who try to convince me that Jesus is not the only way to God. In my view, if you can be that bold to be offensive to me about my God, I can match your energy and be just as bold. Other than that, I do try to just pray and see God in every moment and look for opportunities to share about Him.

That’s all I have for this entry, PLEASE sound off in the comments your thoughts, interpretations and beliefs on scenarios like those named above. What do you do?

Do you have anything to add to this conversation? I’d love to hear from you :) Until next time, God bless you!