tolerance

 Daily inspiration: tolerance. I don't want to keep "patting myself on the back" about the pet store episode from a few days ago...but yesterday when another person came into my pet store, she mentioned she saw my post about it along with the accompanying photo, (we're friends through Facebook) she said, "at first, I had to look and when I looked again, I knew who he was. He's some deaf, drunk guy who lives in my apartment building! and no one likes his dog, either!"

the next space is me, still in disbelief.

She soon left and I sat there in shame, in sorrow...wondering...where was the tolerance, the compassion? (I mentioned THAT in a post from last week- she may have missed that one.)

So now it has come to measuring out compassion by how disabled one is, how drunk one is, how much money one has (that is already been done, have to hang out with the Ivory Tower folks, don't you know!?)

Friends...I think time and again to Jesus approaching the woman at the well. He asked her for water. Her response was, "You are a Jew and I, a Samaritan. You know I cannot give you water!"

Jesus then told her of all of her sins. It wasn't enough the two weren't "supposed to" be mingling, but now He is telling her everything she has done, BUT...then He tells her He is the Living Water and she only needs to accept what He has to offer. The disciples then came by, but didn't question what Jesus was doing, as the woman was so happy that the Messiah forgave her, she ran off to tell all of her friends! (Read John 4 for the complete narrative.)

Jesus saw through her sins, and offered her something more. Doesn't it stand to reason that we, as Jesus with skin on, do the same? Instead of looking down on others for their perceived sins, how about lifting them up to where we are? You can't draw someone to Love by showing them hate. This woman felt unworthy, thus she went to draw water at noontime, when it was hot, but at that time, no one else was at the well, no one else was there to condemn her and that was when Jesus found her.

Another woman, about to be stoned for her adultery, Jesus showed compassion to in front of the ones who were about to stone her, namely, the Pharisees, whom Jesus called hypocrites, had nothing to say when asked, "If any one here is without sin, cast the first stone." Jesus did not condemn her, He sent her on her own way.

Let's break that down a bit: women at that time were nothing, property, to be seen and not heard. "Do your duties, woman and service me, taking care of our children and I will provide a tent and food for you!" That was IT, their lifestyle! No makeup, no fancy clothes, no other woman telling them they needed to grab that husband of theirs by the gonads and tell him he can just like it or leave, no, they had a real hard life. Jesus came to change all of that.

If you want to walk in His footsteps, you too will have to "change all of that."

"Love one another, even as I have loved YOU!"

Jesus didn't die for just the perfect, beautiful people. He SAW the poverty, the drunks, the diseased and disabled and He healed them all...

so who are you to look down on another, to say, "why do you give that person attention? He's just a drunk!?"

Something to think about.

"Lord, I am NOT worthy to receive You, but only, say the word and I shall be healed!"

and so, He said the word, He IS the Word...and by accepting Him, our sins are healed...so why not spread THAT love around and make your corner of the world BEAUTIFUL?

Have a blessed day amen