We are living in a world that places a high value on tolerance.  But what is it? Is it Biblical? And how can we hold fast to faith in the midst of increasing pressure to compromise conviction?

What Tolerance ISN’T –
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, being intolerant goes beyond a simple lack of respect. It’s “being unwilling to grant equal freedom of expression especially in religious matters” or frankly “bigoted”.  This means that in our country, drawing moral lines in the sand earns you the title of “bigot” more often than not. I get it – differences can be scary. Wars break out over differences. We NEED tolerance. But the sort of tolerance our culture is striving for is a false tolerance. It’s based on blurring the lines of our differences in order to make tolerance (and ultimately peace) achievable. Families are really all the same. Religions are really all the same. All truth is truth.  

But just as true courage does not exist without danger, tolerance does not exist without differences. TRUE tolerance then, ISN’T to deny our differences, but rather to accept them as reality. 1 Corinthians 13:7 teaches us that “love endures all things”. The Gospel grants us freedom to acknowledge and endure the differences among us, because Jesus teaches us to love THROUGH them, not skirt around them.  We can hold Godly convictions and STILL love others who see things differently. The more they see that disagreement and love can co-exist, the more it will help them dispel the culture’s view of tolerance.

What Tolerance IS -
So what IS tolerance? Interestingly, according to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, the definition of tolerance is listed as “a capacity to endure pain or hardship”. (That sure sounds a lot like 1 Corinthians 13:7!) But this is not what most of us think of when we think of the word tolerance.  Often, those who most demand tolerance do so because they are unwilling to endure the pain of intolerance. How ironic!!!  But if true tolerance is to endure hardship, then Christians are called to this definition of tolerance. Because we are called to love…and love endures all things.

In a country that is growing increasingly intolerant of Christian values and beliefs, we must endure. This is where most of us fall short. I know I do!!! Unfortunately many of us rather bow to the god of tolerance in order to avoid being persecuted. If we’re honest, our motivation is self-protection, not love for others. But it’s not enough to tolerate others’ differences; we must also be willing to endure the hatred (hardship) that comes our way when they can’t tolerate ours. THIS is true tolerance!

So How Do We Practice It?
Everything hinges on this one: Loved and accepted people love and accept people. It’s that simple.

I’m afraid this is something we can’t fake our way through. Tolerance requires genuine Love. And we must first experience being loved and accepted by Jesus in order to know what love is. Jesus is the supreme example of what it means to love. He did far more than just tolerate us. He truly endured – he endured misunderstanding, ridicule, persecution. And he endured it all the way to the cross!!!

And he did it for you and me.

The more we fill our hearts with the truth of His love, the less room there will be for anything else. Loving those who are different from us isn’t always easy, but we have the best example to follow. If we can love others the way Jesus loves us, we can rest assured we are practicing tolerance at its absolute best.

Nicole is a wife and stay-at-home mom to three energetic children in Lake Villa, IL. In addition to writing, she enjoys serving as the Care Team Leader for her church's MOPS group and is also a part of the Sunday worship team. Other interests include performing Improv, venturing outdoors...and pretending to be a chef, thanks to the Food Network. Nicole has a heart for "getting real" with other women and helping them discover Jesus through honesty, empathy, and the power of "me too". Connect with her at MotherhoodConfessions.com 

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This seems to be a season of scandals, Benghazi, Department of Justice seizing records from the press, the IRS singling out conservatives, the NSA leak and on and on. If you're like me and not a politics expert, it's clear things are pretty messed up. It can be overwhelming since we were made for a perfect place and that perfect place is not here. Our longing for heaven will never be fulfilled this side of time. But just because it wont be perfect till Jesus returns doesn't mean we should settle for passivity. 

I will admit that nothing makes my blood boil faster than talking about politics. I struggle to sit and listen to the news when it bashes my values. I avoid political discussions with people of differing viewpoints. I have wondered what my attitude should be in all of this. I don’t want to be constantly angry when thinking about politics; yet, apathy about politics is not healthy, either.  Sometimes politics seem so overwhelming that we just give up. Some people are lazy; while others are afraid of being politically incorrect. Some are afraid that if they care about politics, it will be a time-consuming effort.

Under the current political scheme, I have many concerns for our religious freedoms. I am concerned that one day I will end up in prison for trying to homeschool my children; or for telling my children that homosexuality is wrong. I have concerns that abortions will become even easier for women. Right now there is a possibility that Plan B abortion pill could be sold over the counter without any age restrictions .  Children are being taught in various ways that life is commonplace and cheap. Yes, politics makes my blood boil, but it also makes me sick to my stomach when I think of where this country is headed. What can you and I do to stop these horrible evils? Take some small steps. I signed up for FRC Action emails. They do the work of keeping up with events and let you know when to call your senators or send a letter to a CEO. Be a voice. Don’t sit quietly by the sidelines.

Here’s the truth of the matter. I really need God to work in my heart. I have been struggling with Romans 13:1-2 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”   I very highly doubt that when the Apostle Paul wrote this letter that he agreed with the Roman government and their policies. Yet, the Holy Spirit had Paul write these verses for us. God is sovereign. Whoever the authorities are, God has put them in place. I am not saying that you should pray for the President to be able to pass policies that oppose God and His Word. Yet, I caution you to watch your heart. If you are filled with hatred or disrespect, you will not be able to pray for them.

I Timothy 2:1-3 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,” Out of obedience to God, I am called to pray for the authorities. In the depths of my heart, I do not want to pray for the President or the leaders. This shows up my own sinfulness, and my need for God to change my heart. How about you? Do you show disrespect for the President or other authorities in your life? Are you trusting in the government more than God? I pray that God will work in all of our lives to open our eyes, to soften our hearts, and to direct us where we need to speak and act. 

Growing up with a strong Christian family, Shelly has had the privilege of having many godly, influential people in her life. Besides going to college in Indiana and teaching school for 1 year in Texas, she has lived in Minnesota her whole life. Recently, she moved to Colorado after meeting her husband on E-Harmony. She is extremely humbled by how the Almighty God works in our lives in such personal ways. Shelly is now a missionary to college students. She is thrilled with the opportunity to share the gospel with college students, to help them grow in their faith, and to encourage them to be sold out servants for God. She enjoys coffee, books, volleyball, bike rides, movies, long walks, and playing games. 

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Have you ever felt creeped out by someone you were around? Maybe you wondered what their true motives were towards you. If you are anything like me, you had a thought swirling around your head of, “I want to get away from you as fast as possible before you have time to say or do anymore.” 

This world is not a safe place and in my short life, I’ve only seen it get worse. When I first heard about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, my reaction was about parents not being able to give their children the Christmas gifts they had bought them. That night, they wouldn’t be putting their little one to bed. It broke my heart. This is not how life should be, but it is our reality. 

Washington has really been on my mind and heart. Not the government, though I do feel like I should be praying for them more often.

Washington is an 11-year-old boy who is deaf and orphaned. A friend of mine posted his picture and story from Reece’s Rainbow, which is an organization that specifically raises money to help children with special needs get adopted by other people donating towards their adoption. Such an amazing ministry!!  Anyway, this is a small snapshot of Washington:

In a generation filled with DVR’s and Netflix I have somehow missed an epidemic that is chasing after the hearts of our children. There is no doubt that our culture is sex crazed.  Anything that is self-gratifying rather than God honoring, our culture wants to teach our children that “it’s ways” aren’t all that bad. They desire to de-sensitize young minds to things that are barbaric and counter biblical. I have known this but there’s one way I hadn’t considered the urgent need to guard my children.

Yesterday afternoon at 4pm I was turning on the news for my grandmother. My children were sitting in the floor playing, and as I was talking to her during the commercials I looked up and noticed a HORRIFYING commercial. I can’t tell you which one it was, or what it was about, I can tell you what I saw in that brief moment but I was too busy trying to find the remote to turn it off.  

A few weeks ago thousands of families were robbed of the opportunity to display the gospel.
Nearly 200,000 beautiful children, created in the image of God, were sentenced to a life less than what God wants for them. When Vladimir Putin signed an adoption ban for American families, I believe he destroyed the lives of thousands.

Life in a Russian orphanage can only be described as horrible. Particularly if you have special needs. This adoption ban will likely result in the death of hundreds, if not thousands, of children.

I'm angry.
But more than that, I'm heartbroken.
My heart weeps for the families whose children are caught in limbo. I cry with the parent not knowing if their child will ever come home.

Have you seen the movie Lincoln? Do you know much about Lincoln? Before the movie all I knew was his wife was a bit of a crazy lady and he was known as honest Abe for walking a long way to return a penny. 

But the movie, which who knows if it's an accurate portrayal of him or not, shows him in a light I didn't expect. Political. He wanted to end slavery at all cost and pushed to get his way by convincing people supportive of slavery to switch their views not based on their convictions but based on personal self-interest.