You want to be respected, so show respect. You want others to be gracious toward you, so be gracious.
You have views and opinions and beliefs that you would like others to embrace, so adopt an open and attentive posture when you encounter others who have a different perspective.
If you would like people to believe that your religious faith is genuine and that it is an important part of who you are, then be quick to acknowledge your own errors and slow to attack others who make mistakes.
The object of your faith is gracious, right? Should you not as the beneficiary, the follower, be gracious in turn?
Insensitivity, hasty generalizations, and undue focus on the mistakes of others…these do not accurately represent any religious faith I’ve been acquainted with.
It seems illogical that people who are pleasant and kind should be regarded as weak, while the habits of a bully are regarded as signs of strength.
I know I’m not perfect, but I don’t use the fact that I’m imperfect as an excuse to lack grace and tolerance. I am sometimes a jerk (maybe more frequently than I would like to acknowledge), but I am trying to be a better man and I hope you don’t find me making excuses if you confront me about slipping up in that endeavor.
No comments:
Post a Comment