I learned something Sunday. In spite of what everyone says about tolerance, I have learned that I don’t have to be tolerant anymore. I don’t have to tolerate anyone that I don’t want to. I don’t have to tolerate homosexuals, smokers, drinkers, gluttons, blasphemers, adulterers, fornicators, illegal immigrants, tax collectors.. oh, wait a minute. I got carried away but the truth is I don’t have to tolerate this list of sinners or any others I don’t want to. I have to love them.
Tolerance is a negative virtue. It means to restrain hostility as in “I will tolerate you”. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be tolerated. I want to be loved and that is what the church is supposed to do. I know I have said this before but there is one thing that only the church can do. We can do lots of things. We can feed the poor but the UN can do that. We can build houses for those that don’t have them but Habitat for Humanity can do that. We can care for the sick but Doctors Without Borders can do that. There are lots of good things we can do that others can do but there is only one thing that we can do that no one else can do. We can give Grace. God’s Grace. We are to be carriers of Grace.
Here is the thing. If we are not loving others instead of tolerating them they will feel tolerated instead of loved. People can feel the difference and I hope this makes you think a bit the next time you are tempted to tolerate instead of love.
It’s a good life!!
Jerry Robertson