But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (NIV)
In his book, Love That Boy, author Ron Fournier shares some of the lessons he’s learned about raising a child on the spectrum. “I had to learn to love my boy for who he was, rather than what I wanted him to be.” (1)
Acceptance is the act of embracing a person even though they might not share our interests, hold the same beliefs, or think the way we do. Acceptance is based not on what or who the other person is, but on our own deliberate choice to value that person without imposing our own expectations. It requires a shift in our perception and a change in our attitude towards those who may not be within what we determine as ‘the norm.’
I am so thankful Christ’s acceptance is not conditional. His sacrificial love is based not on my merit but on His mercy. He does not consider my flaws and blemishes. He does not look at me with contempt despite the ugliness of my sins. On the contrary, He lavishes loving acceptance on me, imperfections and all.
Have you experience this love? If not, I would encourage you to go to the last chapter, Knowing God, and discover for yourself the greatest love ever known to man. You will never be the same.
Thought: “Our entire confidence in our acceptance before God is based solely upon the fact that Jesus was our legal representative in His sinless life and obedient death.” – Jerry Bridges
For further reading:
- John 3:16
- 1 John 4:10
- 1 John 4:16
- Ephesians 2:4-5
(1)Ron Fournier, Love That Boy; What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, and My Son Taught Me About a Parent’s Expectations, (New York: Harmony, 2016), pg 9
Excerpt from my devotional, A Year in God’s Classroom